Rochester Americans Ryan Jones (20) looking to make a play against the Syracuse Crunch in American Hockey League (AHL) action at the Upstate Medical University Arena in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, April 3, 2021. Rochester won 5-3.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Crunch have signed defenseman Ryan Jones to a one-year AHL contract, general manager Stacy Roest announced.
Jones, 25, skated in 29 games with the Rochester Americans last season posting seven points (1g, 6a). Prior to his professional career, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound blueliner spent four seasons at the University of Nebraska Omaha. The Crown Point, IN native tallied 42 points (4g, 38a) in 141 games from 2016 to 2020. Jones was top three in scoring among Omaha defensemen in each of his final three seasons.
Jones was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fourth round, 121st overall, at the 2016 NHL Draft.
Rochester Americans General Manager Jason Karmanos announced today that the team has signed forwards Ryan Scarfo, Lukas Craggs and Brendan Warren, defenseman Peter Tischke and goaltender Mat Robson to one-year, two-way American Hockey League contracts for the 2021-22 season.
Scarfo, 27, returns to Rochester after recording two goals in nine games while on a professional tryout with the Amerks during the 2020-21 campaign. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward also scored one goal in five ECHL contests with the Wheeling Nailers.
The fourth-year pro split the 2019-20 campaign between the Nailers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), combining for 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 55 contests. Scarfo ranked seventh among all Nailers in both assists (14) and points (26) in 43 games before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scarfo has appeared in 65 career AHL games between Rochester, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the Belleville Senators, totaling 16 points (6+10) while also adding 29 points (14+15) over 58 contests with the Brampton Beast (ECHL) and Nailers.
Prior to turning pro, the Boston, Mass., native completed a four-year collegiate career at Union College (ECAC), where he registered 88 points (48+40) in 151 games with the Dutchmen from 2014-2018. As a senior, Scarfo led the team in goals (20) and points (36) on his way to earning ECAC Third All-Star Team honors.
Craggs, 25, joins the organization after combining for 11 points (3+8) in 15 games between the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and Florida Everblades (ECHL) during the 2020-21 season.
In 2019-20, the Elmhurst, Illinois, native split his rookie season with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) and Everblades, producing 17 points on nine goals and eight assist in 35 contests before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. He ranked fourth in goals (3), assists (3) and points (6) among all Admirals first-year skaters while also ranking fourth in both assists (5) and points (11) among all Florida rookie forwards. His six goals in 12 games with the Everblades finished third-most.
Before to turning pro, Craggs spent three years at Bowling Green State University (WCHA), where he registered 54 points (30+24) in 116 games from 2016-2019. In his third season with the Flacons, he finished with a career-high 13 goals, 12 assists and 25 points in 35 games.
Warren, 24, returns to Rochester after recording four goals and two assists in 10 games while on a professional tryout with the Amerks during the 2020-21 campaign. Additionally, the 6-foot-1, 191-pound forward collected 22 points (9+13) in 44 ECHL contests with the Jacksonville Icemen.
As a rookie with Jacksonville last season, Warren represented the Icemen at the 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic. He finished tied for team-lead in goals (14) among all first-year skaters and second in points (28) and fourth in assists (14) in 47 games.
Prior to turning pro, the Carleton, Mich., native completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Michigan (NCAA), where he registered 45 points (18+27) in 149 games with the Wolverines from 2015-2019. As a Freshman, Warren helped the maize and blue claim the Big-10 Conference Championship while skating in all 38 games and registering 17 points (5+12).
Warren was originally drafted in third round (81st overall) by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Tischke, 25, comes to the Amerks after appearing in 16 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL), where he scored a goal to go with an assist.
As a rookie during the 2019-20 season, Tischke, a Hinsdale, Illinois, native spent the majority of the season with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL), where he finished second in goals (4), assists (11) and points (15) in 51 games among all Grizzlies rookie defensemen.
Prior to turning pro, Tischke completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin (Big-10), where he registered 34 points (8+26) in 135 games from 2015-19. After being named to the Big-10 Honorable Mention All-Star teams in 2016-17 and 2017-18, he served as team captain in 2018-19 as well as earning the Big-10’s Sportsmanship Award.
Robson, 25, joins the organization after spending the 2020-21 season with the Straubing Tigers (DEL), posting a 1-8-0 record with a 3.61 goals-against average and a .861 save percentage in nine appearances.
During his rookie season in 2019-20, the Toronto, Ontario, native went 11-10-5 in 26 games with the Iowa Wild (AHL) before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. His .901 save percentage and 2.97 goals-against average were ninth-best among all AHL rookie goaltenders while his 11 wins were tied for 11th. Additionally, he was one of 12 rookies to record at least one shutout over the course of the campaign.
Prior to turning pro, Robson spent two years at the University of Minnesota (Big-10), where he produced 21-17-5 record in 45 games from 2017-2019. In his second season with the Gophers, he led the Big-10 in saves (950), ranked second in games played (31) and was third in both wins (14) and save percentage (.921).
TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics Dr. Lee McElroyhas announced the hiring of Mathias Lange ’09 as assistant coach for the men’s hockey team. A native of Klagenfurt, Austria, he moves over from his role as operations coordinator, which he had held since 2019.
“I am excited to have Mathias’ promotion to assistant coach,” said head coach Dave Smith. “He did a terrific job in his role as coordinator for hockey operations. His combination of playing experience and commitment to RPI are outstanding. He provides position specific expertise and a set of values that match perfectly with our program.”
Lange joined the staff as operations coordinator in the 2019-20 season, responsible for breaking down game tapes, preparation and pre-scouting for upcoming opponents; team travel and accommodation coordination and various administrative functions.
“I’m very fortunate and excited for the opportunity to work with and help develop our student-athletes on and off the ice,” added Lange. “Having been part of the men’s hockey staff for the past couple of years, I’ve seen and been a part of the continuous progress that has been made and I’m looking forward to continuing on that upward trajectory. Being able to do it at a place that means a lot to me and my family makes it that much more special.”
A native of Klagenfurt, Austria, returned to campus following a 10-year professional playing career as a goaltender in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga and DEL2. In 172 career games in the top flight with DEG Metro Stars and Iserlohn Roosters, he posted a 77-78 record with a 2.83 goals against average and a .916 save percentage.
He played his final six seasons with the Roosters, helping them to a pair of playoff appearances. In 2013, he was named Playoff Finals MVP for Bietigheim-Bissingen SC in DEL2.
Helping his home country qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, Lange earned the win in his only start of the tournament, making 34 saves in a 3-1 victory over Norway.
While with the Engineers, Lange played 108 games from 2005-09, posting a record of 29-57-17 with a 2.95 goals against average and an .898 save percentage. He had two shutouts in 6196:39 minutes.
He was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team in 2005-06 after posting a 13-15-6 record with a 2.70 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. Lange went 6-14-3 with a 2.47 goals against average and a .916 save percentage as a junior. A two-time team Most Valuable Player, he graduated as the school’s all-time leader in ties, ranked third in games played, starts (102) and minutes and listed fourth in saves (2,688).
Earning numerous awards for his work off the ice, including being named a finalist for the ECAC Hockey Student-Athlete of the Year, Lange was named to the Lowe’s Senior CLASS All-America Second Team and selected as the Institute’s Livingston W. Houston Citizenship Award winner, which is presented to the “first citizen of the college”. The three-time ECAC Hockey All-Academic honoree also earned the team’s Community Service Award as a senior.
Lange has previous coaching experience, having worked at Great Saves Goaltending in New Jersey, where he led on-ice and synthetic ice lessons, clinics and camps. He also spent two years at USA Hockey Development Camps as a goalie coach and evaluator and worked at the Behind the Mask Elite School of Goaltending.
A 2009 graduate with a Bachelor’s in Management, Lange had a concentration in Finance and a minor in Sports Psychology. In addition to being on the Dean’s List, he was a member of the EDS Management Honor Society.
The William Smith College ice hockey team placed a program-record and league-best 24 student-athletes on the 2020-21 United Collegiate Hockey Conference All-Academic team. The previous high was 17 in 2019-20.
To be eligible, a player must spend a minimum of one academic year at her present institution, while maintaining a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average based on their course load for the 2020-21 academic year.
The following Herons earned a spot on the team:
Sophomore Emma Brophy, biology and environmental science major
Kennedy, Nottke, Weiss and Williams earned all-academic honors for the fourth straight year. They are William Smith’s first four-time All-Academic selections. Coburn, Diffley, Duffey, Franciszkowicz, Gong, Jackson and Mings, were named to the team for the second straight year.
While William Smith did not have a formal 2020-21 season, the Herons continued their workouts on the ice and in the weight room throughout the year. The team held an intersquad scrimmage in early March.
ALBANY, N.Y. – The Union College men’s hockey team was honored with 22 selections to the ECAC All-Academic Team per the conference release Wednesday morning. In total, 276 student-athletes were honored conference wide and all 12 institutions had double-digit honorees.
The Dutchmen have placed 22 or more players on the list three different times since 2016. To be eligible for the All-Academic Team, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or have a GPA over 3.0 over the last three semesters.
ROSEMONT, IL - JUNE 08: Charlotte Checkers goaltender Dustin Tokarski (40) celebrates after game five of the AHL Calder Cup Finals against the Chicago Wolves on June 8, 2019, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
23 teams to qualify for postseason play next spring
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League Board of Governors has approved the qualification rules and format for the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs. A total of 23 teams will qualify for postseason play when the 2021-22 regular season ends on April 24, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a Calder Cup champion.
“Our clubs and their National Hockey League partners recognize the importance of playoff races and postseason experience on overall player development,” said AHL President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson. “Expanding the Calder Cup Playoff field will allow some 150 additional players to play more meaningful games in pursuit of a championship.”
In each of the AHL’s four divisions, all but two teams will qualify for postseason play in 2022, creating a playoff field of six teams in the Atlantic Division, five in the North Division, five in the Central Division and seven in the Pacific Division. Teams will be ranked by points percentage in the regular-season standings. First Round match-ups will be best-of-three series.
The top two teams in the Atlantic Division, the top three teams in each of the North and Central Divisions, and the first-place team in the Pacific Division receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-of-seven Conference Finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals series.
The 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs are expected to finish by June 23.
The American Hockey League was officially born in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International-American Hockey League (the “International” would be dropped from the league’s name in 1940). The AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams; nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.
INDIANAPOLIS – National recognition continues to follow Colgate Women’s Hockey, and this time it’s Coralie Larose ’21, who was selected as a nominee for the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Rooted in Title IX and directed by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, the NCAA Woman of the Year program celebrates the accomplishments of female college athletes across all three divisions. Over 220,000 women are competing in college sports, and the NCAA received 535 nominations for this prestigious award.
Next, all nominees who competed in a sport not sponsored by their school’s core conference, all associate conference nominees and all independent nominees will be considered in a pool for advancement to the conference round of nominees. A selection committee will decide the nominees to move forward. The nominee(s) selected from this pool will be notified by the NCAA, and all conference-round nominees will be announced on ncaa.org in early August.
Larose’s recognition comes on the heels of signing a professional contract in Switzerland with Neuchâtel Hockey Academy in April. She was one of 12 finalists for the 2021 Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year, presented annually to an ECAC Hockey women’s player for demonstrating excellence in the classroom and in their community.
Colgate Athletics recognized Larose with the 2021 Athletics Director Leadership Award for her impact on and off the ice. A double-major in educational studies and French, Larose is a three-time ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team member. She led the team’s Autism Awareness events, including a Learn to Skate program and fundraising for the Adopt-A-Classroom campaign.
On the ice, Larose helped Colgate claim its first-ever ECAC Hockey regular season and tournament championships in 2021. The Raiders reached the NCAA tournament for the second time in four years behind a 15-7-1 record and 8-4 conference mark. A two-time captain, Larose compiled 22 goals, 32 assists, and 54 points during her Colgate career.
WINTHROP, Mass. – The Niagara University hockey program had 24 student-athletes named to the Atlantic Hockey Association All-Academic Team.
To qualify for the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team, the following individuals posted a 3.0 GPA or better in all academic semesters in which the team was actively competing:
The Purple Eagles, who return 19 letterwinners from last season’s team that advanced to the AHA Semifinals, begin the 2021-22 season at perennial power North Dakota on October 8. Niagara opens its home schedule with a two-game set against Air Force starting on November 5.
BRECLAV, Czech Republic – Cole Knuble (East Grand Rapids, Mich.) recorded a hat trick as the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team finished out the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a win over Czech Republic, 6-4, for a fifth-place finish.
“Our guys came out ready to play, they had a good start with a lot of energy,” said J.D. Forrest, head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team. “We dealt with adversity early on in the tournament and the team got progressively better each game. I’m really proud of the team and their work ethic and liked their development as hockey players at the international level.”
The U.S. was able to put one through while on the power play, where Hunter Brzustewicz (Washington, Mich.) skated along the blue line dishing a feed to Pasha Bocharov (Escondido, Calif.). His initial shot ricocheted of a Czech player in front of the net as Knuble tracked the loose puck and buried it past Czech netminder Michael Schnattinger it to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
The Czech Republic answered nearly 10 minutes later with a goal of their own, putting the game at a 1-1 tie heading into the first intermission. The Czechs took the lead in the second while on a power play with less than a minute into the frame, but the U.S. special teams came up big once again.
Up a man, a tic-tac-toe play from Bocharov to Brzustewicz made its way to Mikey DeAngelo (Itasca, Ill.) who tee’d up a one-timer that went far side to tie things up at two.Almost five minutes later, Bocharov skated the puck into the offensive zone, dumping it off to Knuble who muscled his way around the back of the net and found twine to put the U.S. up by one after forty minutes of play.
Team USA was able to get off to a quick start in the third as the Czech goaltender misplayed a puck behind the net which gave DeAngelo an empty net to tap it in. Just over a minute later, Bruzustewicz took a shot from the blue line as Luke Devlin (Memphis, Tenn.) positioned his stick at the right angle to deflect the puck midair and find the back of the net on the power play, putting the U.S. up 5-2.
The Czechs would add two goals giving the U.S. a slim one-goal lead. With 1:30 left to play, Knuble got the feed from Ryan Abraham (Livonia, Mich.) who played the puck patiently and made a stellar move to get past the Czech defense and give the U.S. the late 6-4 lead, securing the win.
Bryant Marks (Wasilla, Alaska) started in net for the U.S. and picked up the win.
Utica, NY- The New Jersey Devils announced it has named Kevin Dineen as Head Coach of the Utica Comets. Dineen, the third head coach in Comets’ history, will lead a returning group of Associate Coach Sergei Brylin, Assistant Coach Ryan Parent, Goaltending Coach Brian Eklund, and Video Coach Adam Purner to make up the Utica Comets 2021-22 Coaching Staff. The announcement was made by Devils’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.
Tom Fitzgerald, Robert Esche and I are pleased to bring Kevin and his family into the New Jersey Devils organization, and we all look forward to what he will bring to Utica,” said Devils Assistant General Manager/Utica Comets General Manger Dan MacKinnon. “Kevin’s vast coaching experience leading both an NHL and AHL bench, winning a Stanley Cup as an Assistant Coach and his international experience with young players covers all you could look for to lead our AHL team. The organization is excited by the players who will hit the ice in Utica this season and their future possibilities to help the big club in New Jersey. Kevin, and the entire returning staff, have all the attributes we look for in individuals to help our players develop successfully.”
Dineen, 57, last served as head coach of San Diego (AHL) for the Anaheim Ducks organization during the previous two seasons, posting a 56-36-9=121 points record and a three-game playoff appearance in 2021 (1-2-0). Prior to San Diego, he was an assistant coach, from 2014-15 to 2018-19, with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning a Stanley Cup in his first year on Joel Quenneville’s staff.
Following his playing career, he spent 2003-04 to 2004-05 as Assistant General Manager with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dineen would begin his coaching career spending the next six seasons as Head Coach of the Portland Pirates (2005-06 to 2007-08 as the Anaheim AHL affiliate; 2008-09 to 2010-11 as Buffalo Sabres AHL affiliate). He took the club to two Eastern Conference Finals (2006 & 2008), winning the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award (AHL Coach of the Year) in his inaugural season.
Dineen would make the jump to the NHL at the start of the 2011-12 season serving as the Head Coach of the Florida Panthers for two seasons. He would go on to post a 56-62-28 record in two full seasons, taking the Panthers to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in his first season in 2012, falling to eventual Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey.
As an international coach, Dineen helmed Team Canada’s women’s national ice hockey team, leading the squad to a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He also coached Canada’s men’s team at the 2014 IIHF World Junior U-18 Championships winning a Bronze Medal.
Drafted by Hartford in the third round (56th overall) in the 1982 NHL Draft, the right-shooting, rugged winger played 19 seasons in the NHL, tallying 1,188 contests with four different teams (Carolina/Hartford, Philadelphia, Columbus, and Ottawa). The veteran totaled 760 points in his career, scoring 355 goals and 405 assists with 2,229 penalty minutes. He added 41 points (23 goals, 18 assists) with 127 penalty minutes in 59 Stanley Cup Playoff games
Born October 28, 1963, in Quebec City, Que., Kevin and his wife, Annie, have four children, two daughters (Hannah and Emma) and two sons (William and Declan).
“We could not be more genuinely excited to welcome Kevin as the third coach in Comets history,” expressed Comets President Robert Esche. “As we prepare to begin a new era of Comets hockey, there is no better person, on or off the ice, that I can think of to champion this new chapter.”
In addition to Dineen and the returning coaching staff, Damion Parmelee joins the organization from his time in Utica with the Vancouver Canucks organization as the new Head Equipment Manager, Chris Murphy continues with the AHL team as Assistant Equipment Manager, Jon Williams comes from Binghamton to Utica as Head Athletic Trainer/Strength & Conditioning Coach and Steve Nightingale joins Utica as Strength & Conditioning Coach.
The Comets open the 2021-2022 season at home inside the Adirondack Bank Center on October 17. The game will mark the anniversary of the Utica Devils inaugural game 34 years ago.
(Rochester, NY) – Rochester Americans General Manager Jason Karmanos announced the team has signed forward Mason Jobst and defenseman Josh Teves to one-year American Hockey League contracts for the 2021-22 season.
Jobst, 27, comes to Rochester after splitting the 2020-21 campaign between the Bridgeport Islanders and Binghamton Devils, where he produced a combined 10 points (5+5) in 19 games.
Entering his third pro season, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound forward began his professional career during the 2019-20 campaign with Bridgeport, recording five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 44 contests. Before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jobst ranked third among all Bridgeport rookies in goals, assists, points and games played, while also finishing with the second-most shots (69).
Prior to turning pro, the Speedway, Illinois, native completed a four-year collegiate career at Ohio State University (NCAA), where he registered 164 points (69+95) in 150 games with the Buckeyes from 2015-2019 and was a three-time All-Big Ten selection. A two-time team captain, Jobst led Ohio State to its first Big Ten regular-season championship as a senior on his way to earning First Team All-Big Ten honors. Additionally, he was named a Second Team All-American and the recipient of the 2019 Big Ten Medal of Honor as well as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
As a sophomore, Jobst tied for the Big Ten scoring lead after notching 55 points (19+36) in 39 games. He tied for second in the nation in assists and ranked seventh in overall scoring en route to garnering First Team All-Big Ten accolades.
Teves, 26, joins the Amerks blueline after skating in 23 games in 2020-21 with the Utica Comets (AHL), registering four points on one goal and three assists.
In two seasons with Utica, the Calgary, Alberta, native has posted six points (1+5) in 52 career games while also adding four points (2+2) in four contests with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL). Additionally, Teves appeared in one game with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2018-19 season.
Before turning pro, the 6-foot-0, 170-pound defenseman completed a four-year collegiate career at Princeton University (NCAA) from 2015-19. In 126 career games with the Tigers, Teves totaled 85 points (16+69) and was a three-time All-Ivy selection as well as a two-time Third Team All-ECAC honoree as a junior and senior.
He holds the school record for the most assists (69) by a defenseman and ranks second all-time in points (85) and sixth in goals (16). His 126 games are also 16th-most in program history.
During the 2017-18 season, Teves helped the Tigers claim the ECAC Championship as he led all Princeton defensemen in goals (7), assists (26) and points (33) in 31 games.
Nate Leaman will be joined by Ted Donato, Kris Mayotte, Steve Miller and Theresa Feaster
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced that Ted Donato (Scituate, Mass.), Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Steve Miller (Sun Prairie, Wis.) will serve as assistant coaches, and Theresa Feaster (Providence, R.I.) as video coach, for the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2022 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2021 – Jan. 5, 2022 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
The group will join Nate Leaman (East Greenwich, R.I.), head men’s ice hockey coach at Providence College, in an effort to defend the team’s gold medal.
“We are grateful for the rare opportunity to return an entire gold medal-winning staff,” said John Vanbiesbrouck (Detroit, Mich.), general manager of the U.S. National Junior Team and assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “We were excited to introduce our staff last year based on their shared experience and expertise. Our team will benefit from knowing that this is the group that led the United States to gold in Edmonton last year.”
About Ted Donato: Donato, head men’s ice hockey coach at Harvard University, made his U.S. National Junior Team coaching staff debut last year with a gold medal. Donato is no stranger to international competition with USA Hockey. The 13-year NHL veteran played on the 1988 U.S. National Junior Team in Moscow and was also a member of Team USA in the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France.
In addition, Donato played in three IIHF Men’s World Championships, serving as captain in 1997 and also represented the U.S. at the event in 1999 and 2002. The former Harvard captain and 1989 NCAA champion has guided his alma mater as head coach to four ECAC Hockey titles and three Ivy League championships, along with six NCAA tournament berths across 16 seasons. Ted’s son Ryan Donato played on the bronze medal-winning 2016 U.S. National Junior Team, as well as the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
About Kris Mayotte: Mayotte returns as an assistant coach for a fourth time after helping the U.S. National Junior Team claimed a gold medal in 2021 and 2017, and a bronze medal in 2018. Mayotte is currently in his first season as head coach for Colorado College after serving as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan for the past two seasons.
Mayotte served in a similar role for four seasons at Providence College under head coach Nate Leaman, where he helped the Friars to the 2015 NCAA national championship. Mayotte previously coached two seasons at St. Lawrence University as an assistant coach from 2012-14, after one season as a volunteer assistant coach at Cornell. Mayotte was a four-year starter in net at Union College from 2002-06 and went on to play five seasons professionally across the American Hockey League and ECHL.
About Steve Miller: Miller returns as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Junior Team for the sixth straight year after helping the United States earn medals in 2017 (gold), 2018 (bronze), 2019 (silver) and 2021 (gold). Miller helped lead the Providence College men’s ice hockey team to the 2015 national championship under head coach Nate Leaman, his third NCAA national championship as an assistant coach after winning back-to-back titles with Denver in 2004 and 2005.
Miller’s 32-year coaching career began in 1989 and has seen him contribute to 19 NCAA tournament berths, four Frozen Four appearances, seven conference tournament titles, and five regular-season league championships during his time with St. Mary’s University, Miami University, University of Denver, Providence College, Air Force Academy and Ohio State University.
About Theresa Feaster: Feaster made her USA Hockey debut as a member of the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team coaching staff, winning a gold medal in Edmonton. Feaster was the first female to ever serve on the coaching staff of a U.S. National Junior Team.
The 2021-22 season will be her tenth at Providence and sixth season as the director of men’s ice hockey operations. She was a graduate assistant for two years prior to head coach Nate Leaman offering her a full-time opportunity in 2016, becoming at the time one of two women working as full-time hockey staff members for Division I men’s hockey teams.
The remainder of the staff includes athletic trainers Stan Wong (Boca Raton, Fla./USA Hockey) and Jason Hodges (Plymouth, Mich./USA Hockey’s NTDP), equipment managers Scott Aldrich (Hancock, Mich./USA Hockey) and Nate LaPoint (Eau Claire, Wisc./University of Wisconsin), hockey operations Marc Boxer (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Hockey), communications Aaron Westendorf (Cincinnati, Ohio/USA Hockey), and digital content Meg Stahl (Middletown, N.J./USA Hockey).
NOTES: The United States enters the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship seeking its sixth medal in seven years after earning a record four-consecutive medals: gold in 2017, silver in 2019, and bronze in both 2018 and 2016 … To date, the U.S. National Junior Team has claimed 13 medals, including five gold (2021, 2017, 2013, 2010, 2004), two silvers (2019, 1997) and six bronze (2018, 2016, 2011, 2007, 1992, 1986) … USA Hockey’s international council, chaired by Gavin Regan (Potsdam, New York), vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams.
Michael Houser #41
Rochester Americans v Utica Comets 3.3.2021 :: Photo By Micheline V
Goaltender Michael Houser signs one-year AHL contract with Rochester
(Rochester, NY) – Rochester Americans General Manager Jason Karmanos announced that the team has signed goaltender Michael Houser to a one-year American Hockey League contract for the 2021-22 season.
Houser, 28, split last season between the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans. He earned the start in each of Buffalo’s final four games, posting a 2-2-0 record with 127 saves, a 3.46 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage over that span.
Houser made his NHL debut with a 34-save effort on May 3 to earn his first career victory. He was just the seventh goaltender in Buffalo history to record a win in his first start. Two nights following his victory over the New York Islanders, Houser won his second straight contest with 45 stops against the Islanders, becoming the first Sabres goaltender to win his first two NHL starts since Mika Noronen did so on Oct. 5 and 7, 2000.
He also started four straight games for the Amerks, going 1-3-0 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage, winning his final appearance of the season.
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, the nine-year pro netminder owns a 33-29-4 record in 77 career AHL contests between Rochester, the San Antonio Rampage, Ontario Reign, Cleveland Monsters, and Tucson Roadrunners. Additionally, he boasts a 127-57-22 record and 11 shutouts in 210 career ECHL games between the Cincinnati Cyclones, Manchester Monarchs and Fort Wayne Komets.
Houser’s best year came in 2018-19 when he showed a 29-7-5 record in 41 appearances while backstopping Cincinnati to an ECHL-best 51-13-5-3 mark during the regular season. He finished the season ranked second in the ECHL with a 2.13 goals-against average and fourth with a .922 save percentage, while his 29 wins tied for most in the league. Following the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, Houser was named the ECHL Goaltender of the Year and was selected to the ECHL First All-Star Team.
Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound goaltender spent three seasons with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. In 141 games for the Knights, he showed a record of 93-38-7 along with seven shutouts, a 2.90 goals-against average and .912 save percentage.
During his final season in the OHL, he backstopped the Knights to an OHL Championship and was the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year and Most Outstanding Player (Red Tilson Trophy). Houser also earned a spot on the First All-Star Team as he led the league in wins (46), games played (62) and saves (1,862).
Calder Cup winner and four-time 20-goal scorer inks two-year AHL contract
(Rochester, NY) – Rochester Americans General Manager Jason Karmanos announced that the team has signed veteran forward Michael Mersch to a two-year American Hockey League contract.
Mersch, 28, returns to the Amerks after finishing second on the team in points (19) and third in goals (8) in 28 games during the 2020-21 season. He closed out the month of April with a team-high nine points (5+4) in 11 games, which included a season-high two goals and two assists on April 23 against Utica.
The eight-year pro has appeared in 405 career AHL games between the Amerks, Texas Stars, Ontario Reign and Manchester Monarchs, totaling 264 points (130+134) while also adding 35 points (16+19) in 44 Calder Cup Playoff games. Additionally, Mersch, a four-time 20-goal scorer in the AHL who won a Calder Cup with Manchester in 2015, has skated in 17 career NHL contests with the Los Angeles Kings, tallying a goal and a pair of assists.
Prior to turning pro, the Park Ridge, Illinois, native completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA), where he registered 120 points (67+53) in 157 games with the Badgers from 2010-2014. As a senior, he was named an All-Big Ten First Team selection and earned AHCA West Second-Team All-American honors.
He was originally drafted by the Kings in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
