Memorial Day Weekend
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Cass Mac Returns To The Beauts
BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts continued to shape their roster by re-signing center Cassidy MacPherson. Entering into her third season with the team, the 5-foot-6 forward is one of Buffalo’s most dependable face-off takers. MacPherson’s contract was completed with the team during the league’s restricted free agency period. NWHL teams had the exclusive right to re-sign any of their 2020-21 rostered players up until May 15 at 5:00 p.m.
“I love the community here in Buffalo and the amazing fans that we have,” said MacPherson. “We truly have the very best fans, and we have the best people within our organization in the entire league.”
In 30 regular season games, MacPherson has gone 5-7-12 for scoring in her NWHL career. Known for her ability to perform in all situations, she routinely sees centering duties on Buffalo’s power play and penalty-killing units. MacPherson is also one of the Beauts most heavily utilized face-off takers. In 2019-20, she had the best faceoff winning percentage (.494) of all Beauts skaters that took at least 50 draws.MacPherson repeated the feat in Lake Placid in 2020-21 with a .489, and took the second most amount of face-offs on the team (88). She tied teammate Jordan Juron for most shots on goal as well with 20 in Buffalo’s six games.
“I feel that Cass is the most underrated player in the NWHL,” said Beauts General Manager Nate Oliver. “She does all of the little things right, and she is one of the most dependable players around. I love that she flies under the radar for us. Cass’ situational play is just so steady, and her versatility is a real gem for the Beauts to capitalize upon.”
MacPherson played her collegiate career at Providence College (25-53-78 in 146 GP) where she reached double digits in points during all four seasons with the Friars. MacPherson’s finest season offensively came during her sophomore campaign of 2016-17 when she established career highs in goals (10) and points (23) through 37 games. Her biggest offensive output came on Nov. 26, 2016, against Brown University when she earned four assists in a 7-3 Friars win.
MacPherson’s junior hockey was played for the Oakville Hornets in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). She co-captained the team in 2014-15 and guided them to a PWHL bronze medal and an Intermediate AA Provincial Championship.
“We are very glad to have Cass back with the Beauts,” said assistant coach Mark Zarbo. “She is a versatile player that we will be looking to have a big season in 2021-22. She is the type of player that we want to build around for the future.”
Parker Drafted By USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede
Congratulations to Buffalo, NY native Owen Parker. Owen was selected by the Sioux Falls Stampede in the 12th round of the Phase II USHL Draft.
U.S. Blanks Kazakhstan, 3-0, at Men’s World Championship
| Niagara Falls, NY native scores goal for US. |
| Team USA to Face Latvia Thursday at 9:15 a.m. ET |
| RIGA, Latvia – The U.S. Men’s National Team used goals from Adam Clendening (Niagara Falls, N.Y.), Trevor Moore (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and Jack Drury (Winnetka, Ill.), along with 18 saves from Cal Petersen (Waterloo, Iowa), on the way to a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan here tonight in preliminary round play at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship.Team USA, 2-0-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L), will face host Latvia on Thursday (May 27) in its fourth of seven preliminary round games. Opening faceoff is set for 9:15 a.m. ET and the game can be seen live on NHL Network. “We knew Kazakhstan would be a tight defensive team and I’m proud of the way our guys were able to adjust our structure and come out with the win,” said Jack Capuano, head coach of the 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team. “This is a fun group to be around, a lot of them are playing their first time internationally and their pride and work ethic shows.”The U.S. scored once in each period and recorded 25 shots on goal in the opening stanza — the third most ever in a period for Team USA in the world championship. (NHL.com photo of Clendening) |
DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic to Return to Pittsburgh
USHL and Youth Teams to Return to UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex for 5th Fall Classic. New York State will be represented. |
| PITTSBURGH, Pa. –The United States Hockey League (USHL) and Pittsburgh Penguins announced the DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic, which features the best junior hockey across the United States, returns for the fifth time to the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pa. “The Fall Classic has become a top-tier hockey event in the United States for scouts and fans alike,” said USHL President and Commissioner Tom Garrity. “With all 16 USHL teams in attendance, and a plethora of youth teams, scouts from every level of hockey and every type of hockey fan will find something to interest them at this event. “Our partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins for this event is always top notch and we anticipate another amazing event to kick off next season.” The event is currently scheduled for September 23-27 and will feature all 16 USHL Member Clubs playing a pair of regular season games to open the 2021-22 season at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, as well as a youth event expected to draw roughly 80 teams from across the country. With the best junior and youth hockey talent in the country all in one place, the event continues to attract more and more scouts from the National Hockey League, NCAA and junior teams. “We are thrilled to welcome back the USHL and host the Fall Classic at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex,” said Penguins President and CEO David Morehouse. “We are proud to showcase the best junior hockey in America at our world-class facility.” More information regarding schedule and tickets will be announced at a later date. |
Carly Jackson Returns To The Beauts
BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts announced that star goaltender Carly Jackson is returning to the team for her second NWHL season. The signing sees one of the league’s most popular players and a cornerstone for Buffalo locked in for Season 7. Jackson came to a contract agreement with the Beauts during the league’s restricted free agency period which closed on May 15 at 5:00pm ET.
“I’m so grateful to be re-signing with the Beauts for Season 7,” said Jackson. “My teammates, our coaches, the staff, the fans of Buffalo, the NWHL, have all made me feel nothing but welcomed and like a true professional. The group we have in Buffalo is special and I can’t wait to get back to work! I expect that for Season 7 the Beauts are going to come out flying. We are hungry to prove ourselves and to bring home a championship!”
Jackson’s rookie season for Buffalo was sensational. She started all six of the Beauts’ games in Lake Placid for the 2020-21 season. Five of those six games saw Jackson face at least 37 shots, including three games in which she faced 40 or more. Many times she kept her team in games with critical saves. Jackson finished her first season with a solid .909 save percentage and led the entire league in both shots faced and saves. Not surprisingly, she was one of the recipients of the 2021 Fans’ 3-Stars Award for her stellar performance.
“CJ brings so much character to our Beauts organization,” said head coach Rhea Coad. “She takes the progression of her craft very seriously. CJ made huge strides in her first year, and we are very excited to watch her continue to grow professionally and personally.”
Jackson was also Buffalo’s recipient of the NWHL’s Foundation Award, which is bestowed annually to the player most actively applying the core values of hockey to her community as well as growing and improving hockey culture. She has been a supporter for youth hockey players and very supportive of the LGBTQ2S+ community, while speaking openly about human rights.
Jackon was the Beauts opening round draft selection in 2020 when they chose her third overall in the NWHL Draft. Prior to turning pro, she played at the University of Maine from 2016-17 through 2019-20. At the completion of her career for the Black Bears, she had established team records for career wins (45), saves (3029), save percentage (.923), shutouts (12), and goals-against average (2.15).
She would like to set a few new Beauts records in 2021-22 and win an Isobel Cup in the process. “In order for the Beauts to win an Isobel Cup we need to focus on the continued growth of our already amazing culture and transferring that into our play,” Jackson said. “Behind Nate, Rhea, and the staff we have, there is no doubt that they will bring together the pieces and amazing people to bring home a championship. The incredible thing I love about the Beauts is that we are loved and supported to be who we are! Something Nate often says is ‘We are all here for a reason’. The culture we have allows us to be who we are and thrive in the city of Buffalo. We have some unfinished business and we’ll be bringing the Isobel Cup home soon! Go Beauts!”
U.S. Beats Canada, 5-1, in Men’s World Championship
| Trevor Moore Scores Twice; Jake Oettinger Makes 26 Saves |
| RIGA, Latvia – The U.S. Men’s National Team used two goals from Trevor Moore (Thousand Oaks, Calif) and 26 saves from Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) on the way to a 5-1 victory over Canada here in preliminary round play at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship. Team USA returns to action Tuesday (May 25) at 9:15 a.m. ET against Kazakhstan for the third of its seven preliminary round games. The contest can been seen live on NHL Network. “We’ve talked about coming together as a brotherhood and being hard to play against and our guys got rewarded for that here tonight,” said Jack Capuano, head coach of the 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team. “Offensively, I liked the way our guys paid attention to detail and now it’s a matter of continuing that as we move forward here.” The U.S. led 1-0 after the opening period and 4-0 after 40 minutes.Team USA also got goals from defensemen Adam Clendening (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) and Matt Tennyson (Pleasanton, Calif.), along with forward Jason Robertson (Northville, Mich.), who scored his second of the tournament. For the full recap, click here. (USA Hockey Photo) |
Roster Announced for 2021 U.S. Women’s National Team Selection Camp; Includes 3 From New York State
| Camp part of preparations for 2022 Olympic Winter Games |
| COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today the 40 players (24 forwards, 12 defenders, four goaltenders) invited to its 2021 U.S. Women’s National Team Selection Camp, June 1-6 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. The camp will be utilized to assist in selecting the 28 players who will train together as part of a residency program anticipated to commence in October in Blaine as part of preparations for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. “This summer brings a lot of excitement as we’re less than a year out from the 2022 Winter Olympics,” said Katie Million, director of women’s national team programs for USA Hockey. “Our selection camp will help us make the tough choices of naming the player pool for residency and from there we’ll turn our attention to the women’s world championship later this summer.” The 40 invitees include 16 Olympians, 14 members of the 2018 gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team, 18 members of the gold medal-winning 2019 U.S. Women’s National Team, 19 players who are current collegiate athletes and four members of the gold medal-winning 2020 U.S. U18 Women’s National Team. For the full camp roster, click here. The U.S. is the defending Olympic gold medalist and has won gold in eight of the last nine IIHF Women’s World Championships. USA Hockey expects to announce the players chosen for residency in late June and from that pool of players, 25 will be chosen to represent the U.S. at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship, scheduled for August 20-31 in Canada. NOTES: The camp is closed to the public, including media requests … Joel Johnson (White Bear Lake, Minn.) is the interim head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team with Brian Pothier (New Bedford, Mass.) serving as assistant coach and Bri McLaughlin-Bittle (Sheffield Village, Ohio) serving as goaltending coach … The 2022 Olympic Winter Games are set for Feb. 4-20, 2022 in Beijing, China. (USA Hockey Photo) |
U.S. Men’s National Team Drops 2-1 Decision To Finland in 2021 Men’s Worlds Opener
| Team USA Back In Action Tomorrow Against Canada at 1:15 p.m. ET |
| RIGA, Latvia — The U.S. Men’s National Team dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to defending champion Finland here tonight in the opening game for both teams at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship.Team USA returns to action tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. ET against Canada for the second of its seven preliminary round games. The contest can been seen live on NHL Network. “I thought the guys played really well given the short time we’ve spent together so far,” said Jack Capuano, head coach of the 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team. “We did a lot of good things, but their goalie played well and we couldn’t capitalize on our chances. “There’s a lot of good things we can look at as we turn our attention here toward Canada tomorrow.” After a scoreless first period, the Finns jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the middle frame before Jason Robertson (Northville, Mich.) tallied on the power play at 18:01 to cut the deficit to 2-1 after 40 minutes.The U.S. outshot Finland, 14-5, in the third period, but was unable to get the equalizer. Cal Petersen (Waterloo, Iowa) made 27 saves in the U.S. net, while Jussi Olkinoura had 29 stops for Finland. NOTES: The U.S. outshot Finland, 30-29 … The U.S. was 1-2 on the power play, while Finland was 0-1 … Jason Roberston (Northville, Mich.) was named the U.S. Player of the Game … Justin Abdelkader (Muskegon, Mich.) is serving as captain of Team USA, while Colin Blackwell (North Andover, Mass.) and Matt Roy (Detroit, Mich.) are the squad’s alternate captains . (USA Hockey Photo) |
RPI Senior Celebration Series: Men’s Hockey
At Rensselaer, we are proud to recognize the student-athletes who are members of the Class of 2021. We thank them for their hard work, dedication and tremendous efforts in representing the Institute in a first-class manner academically and athletically. We wish them well in all their future endeavors.
ALEC CALVARUSO
Livonia, Michigan | Business and ManagementClick on the image for Alec’s full bio.
Favorite RPI Athletics Memory: Playing my first collegiate game in over a year. Being able to play in front of all the students and fans in the Field House was a very special moment for me.
What Makes Rensselaer So Special: Rensselaer is very special because of its great culture and level of support from professors, staff, teammates and volunteers.
Post-Graduation Plans: My post-graduate plans include doing a graduate transfer to attain my Master’s in Sports Management, as well as further my athletic career. Click on the image for the full Senior Celebration Series.
FROM A COACH:
- Was terrific in his role and did everything in a positive way to help make our program better. Alec brought a jolt of energy to our room. His personality and competitiveness made others around him better.
DANIEL DIGRANDE
Macomb, Michigan | Business and ManagementClick on the image for Daniel’s full bio.Click on the image for the full Senior Celebration Series.
FROM A COACH:
- Danny was highly regarded by our group and brought positive energy to the rink every day. He is someone you want to call a teammate.
BILLY JERRY
River Falls, Wisconsin | Business and ManagementClick on the image for Billy’s full bio.Click on the image for the full Senior Celebration Series.
FROM A COACH:
- Billy always represented our program with class and humility. He searched for constant improvement and set a great example of how an RPI Hockey player should act every day. A terrific culture guy and an important part of the growth of the RPI Hockey culture.
TOMMY LEE
Calgary, Alberta | Business and ManagementClick on the image for Tommy’s full bio.Click on the image for the full Senior Celebration Series.
FROM A COACH:
- Tommy showed excellent growth during his time at RPI. His energy and commitment to daily improvement made our program better.
LINDEN MARSHALL
Victoria, British Columbia | Mechanical EngineeringClick on the image for Linden’s full bio.Click on the image for the full Senior Celebration Series.
FROM A COACH:
- Linden is an elite student-athlete, on and off the ice. He is the type of person you know will be successful in life because of his daily work ethic and habits. He continues to be a driver of culture with his commitment to academics and being an elite hockey player and person. We look forward to his return to RPI for a fifth year.
(RPI Hockey Photo)
Gehen Named Elmira College Associate Director of Athletics
ELMIRA, N.Y. — The Elmira College Department of Athletics is pleased to announce that Erin Gehen has been named Associate Director of Athletics.
Gehen will relocate to Emerson Hall from McGraw Hall, where she has spent the past three years in the College’s business office, most recently as a financial accountant. As Associate Athletic Director, she will be responsible for financial oversight and management of the department’s budgets, among other business-related tasks.
“It’s exciting to have a young woman of Erin’s caliber join our department,” said Rhonda Faunce, who begins her term as the College’s Interim Director of Athletics starting on Monday, June 14. “Not only is she an accomplished athlete who loves sports, but she has a skill set that we have been missing.
“Erin has hit the ground running, as she has already taken over the department’s financial responsibilities while completing her work in the business office. I foresee Erin becoming a more integral part of the department as each month passes.”
A standout on the ice during her playing days at Buffalo State, Gehen has also spent the past three years as an assistant coach for EC’s women’s ice hockey program. During her tenure, she’s helped the Soaring Eagles win a trio of Pat Thompson ’75 Trophies as United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) champions.
As a Bengal, Gehen was the most prolific skater in program history and holds records for most points (95), goals (54), assists (41), and shorthanded goals (7). A three-time All-Conference and four-time Academic All-Conference honoree, Gehen received a bevy of awards as a senior, including Buffalo State’s Female Senior Scholar-Athlete Award and Ruth Houston Award for the most outstanding career by a graduating female student-athlete.
In 2019, Gehen extended her career by signing a professional contract with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). She collected 16 points (7g-9a) across 30 games over the past two seasons with the Beauts.
Originally from the Buffalo suburb of West Seneca, New York, Gehen graduated from Buffalo State in 2018 with a degree in Business Administration and Management. She completed her Master of Science in Management from Elmira College in June of 2020.
2021-22 U.S. National Under-17 Team Announced; Includes 2 From New York State
| Rostered players will be part of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program |
| PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Thirteen forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders have been selected to join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, it was announced today. The players, all from the 2005 birth year, will compete as the U.S. National Under-17 Team during the 2021-22 season. “We had a great evaluation camp last week,” said Kevin Reiter, director of player personnel for the NTDP. “Thanks to our grassroots volunteers in programs all across the country and many others, the talent pool in our country continues to get better and better, making it more difficult than ever to settle on a final group of players to invite to be part of the NTDP. “Thanks to all the players and their families who were involved, and we wish everyone nothing but the very best.” The NTDP is a two-year residency program for high-performance players that is located at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The Under-17 Team plays in the United States Hockey League, the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States, as well as against select competition in the North American Hockey League and Minnesota Elite League. Each season, the U17 Team also competes in three international tournaments. The 24 players come from 12 different states; Minnesota leads the way with five representatives while Massachusetts and Michigan follow with three players apiece. The complete roster can be found by clicking here. ABOUT THE NTDP: USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program is entering its 25th season of competition and is based at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The goal of the full-time development program is to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and success in their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus not only on high-caliber participation on the ice but creating well-rounded individuals off the ice. |
Abdelkader Named Captain of 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team
| Roy, Blackwell to Serve as Alternate Captains | |
RIGA, Latvia – Justin Abdelkader (Muskegon, Mich.) has been named captain of the 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team.“We’re excited to have Justin leading this team,” said Jack Capuano, head coach of the 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team. “This is a special group who’ve all made sacrifices to be here, who’ve capitalized on the opportunity to wear the USA crest, and we intend to play with that pride and effort every game. Justin, Matt and Colin will be our leaders on the ice, but we have a special brotherhood here in this locker room and we’re excited to see everyone play for each other and represent our country well.” In addition, Matt Roy (Detroit, Mich.) and Colin Blackwell (Lawrence, Mass.) will serve as alternate captains for Team USA.The U.S. will begin play in the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship tomorrow (May 22) in Riga, Latvia, against Finland. Puck drop is set for 4:15 p.m. local time (9:15 a.m. ET) and the game can be seen live on NHL Network. ABOUT ABDELKADER Abdelkader will captain Team USA in an IIHF Men’s World Championship for the second time after doing so in 2014 in Minsk, Belarus. The tournament marks the fifth time the Muskegon, Michigan, native will represent the U.S. internationally after doing so in two IIHF Men’s World Championships (2012, 2014), one IIHF World Junior Championship (2007 – bronze) and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. In 20 games on the international stage, he has collected 11 points (5g, 6a). An 11-year NHL veteran, all with the Detroit Red Wings, Abdelkader was with Detroit when they captured the 2008 Stanley Cup and served as an alternate captain his last four years with the Red Wings. In 739 NHL games, he amassed 252 points (106g, 146a) before signing with EV Zug in the Swiss National League this past February. With EV Zug, he registered eight points (4g, 4a) in nine games before tallying nine points (6g, 3a) in 13 playoff games to help m capture the 2021 NL Title. Abdelkader played college hockey at Michigan State University. ABOUT ROY Roy, a Detroit, Michigan, native, is representing the United States in international competition for the first time. The 2020-21 season marked his third season with the Los Angeles Kings, who this past March announced a three-year extension. A 2015 seventh-round selection by the Kings, he has registered 34 points (8g, 26a) in 139 NHL games. Prior to LA, Roy skated three seasons with Michigan Tech University where he collected 55 points (12g, 43a) in 115 games and earned WCHA First All-Star Team (2017) and WCHA Second All-Star Team (2016) honors. Before Michigan Tech, Roy spent two seasons with the Indiana Ice in the USHL. ABOUT BLACKWELL Like Roy, Blackwell is also donning the USA crest for the first time in international competition at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship. A native of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Blackwell spent this past season with the New York Rangers where he set career-highs in goals (12), assists (10) and points (22). Originally a seventh-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2011, Blackwell has spent time in the San Jose, Buffalo and Nashville organizations. In total, he has collected 32 points (15g, 17a) in 80 NHL games while also adding 105 points (41g, 64a) in 187 AHL games. Before turning professional, Blackwell spent five years with Harvard University, which included a redshirt year in 2013-14. He bookended his four playing years with a career-high 19 points as a freshman and senior to finish his collegiate career with 58 points (19g, 39a) in 94 games. Prior to college, he skated four years at St. John’s Prep and served as captain his junior and senior seasons. NOTES: For complete coverage of the U.S. Men’s National Team, visit teamusa.usahockey.com/2021mensworlds … The official IIHF home of the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Championship is 2021.IIHFWorlds.com. |
Beauts Sign Former Clarkson Captain Cassidy Vinkle
BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts announced a major addition to their roster by adding center Cassidy Vinkle. A 2-time national champion and former captain of Clarkson University, Vinkle played the past two seasons as a member of the PWHPA. The NWHL’s unrestricted free agency period opened at 5:01pm ET on May 15. Vinkle is Buffalo’s first true free agent signing of the offseason.
“I signed with the Beauts because I feel Buffalo will allow me to reach my full potential on and off the ice,” said Vinkle. “Nate, Coach Rhea, and the players have been very welcoming and helpful in my transition to the NWHL. I look forward to buying into the culture that the Beauts are building and making an impact this season.”
Vinkle played 162 NCAA games while at Clarkson – the most in program history – from 2015-16 through 2018-19. In that time, she went 23-37-60 for scoring and finished her collegiate career with a plus-51 for plus/minus rating. Vinkle helped lead the Golden Knights to the NCAA championship title in both 2016-17 and 2017-18. Vinkle was an assistant captain when the Golden Knights won the 2018 NCAA title. She followed that up by serving as the team’s captain during her senior campaign.
“We are elated to add Cassidy to our roster,” said Beauts General Manager Nate Oliver. “She comes from one of the finest collegiate programs in the history of women’s hockey, and has spent the past two seasons playing alongside some of the best players in the world. Cassidy is a proven winner and leader, and we are proud to be adding a top-six forward of her caliber. A tremendous two-way center who plays topline minutes.”
Vinkle served as an assistant coach for New England College’s women’s hockey program in 2019-20 through 2020-21. A native of Belleville, Ontario, Vinkle played her junior hockey with the Whitby Wolves. She was nearly a point-per-game player for the Wolves, having tallied 43 goals, 62 assists and 105 points in 106 games.
Now Vinkle is focused on adding an Isobel Cup to her résumé.
“I feel I can bring my championship experience and my desire to win to Buffalo,” Vinkle said. “Having a successful college career at Clarkson University showed me that in order to be the best, you need to have a standard of excellence each day. There is a lot of talent on the Beauts right now. I want to add to it and be a piece of the puzzle that brings the Isobel Cup back to Buffalo.”
