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#USPHLPlayoffs Series Preview: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights vs. Rockets Hockey Club

by Joshua Boyd

March 10, 2023March 10, 2023

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com

Mid-Atlantic Division

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights (1) vs. Rockets Hockey Club (4)

All games played at Revolution Ice Centre

Game 1: Friday, March 10, 12 p.m. EST

Game 2: Saturday, March 11, 1 p.m. EST

Game 3: Sunday, March 12, 4:30 p.m. EST (if necessary)

The USPHL Elite’s top dog, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights are all set to play for a return to the USPHL National Championships and make it a straight 2-for-2 (and it would be an organizational 4-for-4 if the Premier Knights also make it).

Wilkes-Barre was not in first place when the new year of 2023 came around a couple months back, but they were in the pack. In the end, what did it was an amazing 24-0-1-0 points streak for more than the entire second half of the season. WBS last fell in regulation on Nov. 12, in a 5-4 defeat to the New York Aviators.

Top performers such as goalie Dylan Boughen and forwards Eric McHale, Brody Bess and Jason DiMatteo. WBS actually had seven players with 43 or more points this season, with McHale leading the way at 78 points. Boughen crossed the regular season finish line at 15-0-2-0 with a .933 save percentage – both record and percentage ranking in the top three league-wide.

The Knights defeated the Rockets in all six of their regular season meetings this year, though the Rockets did pull out a point from a Dec. 3 OT loss.

The Rockets, who made the Nationals in 2021 and 2022, are obviously no strangers to postseason success. In fact, they were the only team to defeat the eventual National Champion Richmond Generals (in OT) during the Round Robin portion of last year’s championship event.

The Rockets have some solid players on their side to get the job done, including the regular season scoring champion John Crowdell (44 games, 29-54-83). In goal, Michael Grima was an extremely dependable backstop, posting a .919 save percentage and registering three shutouts.

It’ll be a knock-down drag-out battle if for no other reason because of what’s at stake – the series winner goes to the USPHL Nationals, and the losing team closes up shop for 2022-23.

USPHL Elite 2023-24 Florida Division All-Stars

USPHL Announces Mark Kumpel As Tier 3 Director Of Operations

USPHL Announces New Teams And Relocations

USPHL Names New Commissioner And Deputy Commissioner

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Selection Process: Voting took part in two phases. In the first phase, the division’s coaches voted for three of their own players and three players from other teams in the division. Once these results were compiled, the division’s coaches voted on the final team.

Forwards

Dylan Hineman, Tampa Bay Juniors

The ‘06 local talent from Steinbrenner High School was the leading scorer for the Tampa Bay Juniors’ Elite team, registering 54 points in 41 games as a junior rookie. Hineman was a co-leader for the team in plus-minus at +43. He joined the Juniors as one of 10 former Tampa Bay Jr. Crunch players, including one other All-Star on this list.

Kevin Rosello, Tampa Bay Juniors

Rosello (‘03/New Port Richey, Fla.) came to the Juniors out of J.W. Mitchell High School, where he played with fellow Junior Carter Trussler, and ended up leading the Juniors in points per game with 1.51 (52 points in 37 games). Rosello and Hineman are both now in the top 10 for single season points in the Juniors’ elite history. He also saw five games up with the USPHL Premier team. Rosello finished the season with nine power play goals, good for third in the Elite Conference.

Mookie Killen, Tampa Bay Juniors

Killen comes from the aforementioned group of 10 former Tampa Crunch 16U teammates who would move on to join the Juniors. The ‘06 from Steinbrenner High School put up 40 points in 37 games with the Juniors, during the same season in which he put up 19 points in 13 games for Steinbrenner.

Fynn O’Neill, Florida Eels

O’Neill (‘03/Calgary, Alb.) put up 51 points in 43 games to lead the way offensive for the Eels this season. He just completed his third season of junior hockey, as he came from the Heritage Jr. B Hockey League in his home conference. O’Neill’s 23 goals were also tied for most from an Eels player this year. The Purdue Northwest University (ACHA) recruit put up a +35 on the season, to rank second among the Eels forwards, and he won 564 faceoffs for a 72 percent success rate.

Alex Cochran, Florida Eels

Cochran (‘05/Plano, Texas), a product of the McKinney North Stars AAA program, started his junior career very well by putting up 42 points in 36 games. He was a huge playmaker, both overall (26) and on the power play (seven assists to lead the team).

Zayn Haddon-Harris, Florida Eels

Haddon-Harris (‘04/Boca Raton, Fla.) joined the Eels, which had previously seen his older brother Taurin enjoy great success at the Premier level before moving on to Curry College in 2022. Zayn is making his own name with the Fort Myers, Fla.-based Eels, putting up 42 points in 40 games this year. His 23 goals on 141 shots gave him an impressive 16.3 shooting percentage.

Colby Sims, Atlanta MadHatters

Sims (‘04/Rocky Mountain House, Alb.) was a huge part of helping the MadHatters make their first trip to the USPHL Nationals, putting up 39 points in 36 games. Another product of the Heritage Jr. B League in Alberta, Sims became the MadHatters Elite team’s all-time leader in goals (37), assists (46) and points (83). He finished with 10 more points in nine career playoff games, including six games this year in the MadHatters’ first-ever Nationals run.

Will McLaughlin, Atlanta MadHatters

McLaughlin (‘04/Yorktown, Va.) ended up joining the MadHatters in the middle of the season and became a key cog in the machine that pushed its way into the USPHL Nationals for the first time. After 19 games with his previous team that ended up folding, he jumped to the MadHatters and registered 19 more games and came out with a total of 39 points in 38 games. He also had nine points in six playoff games.

Vincent Faggioli-DeLong, Florida Jr. Blades

Another local Florida talent who became a go-to player for his team, Fort Myers, Fla.’s own Faggioli-DeLong (’06) finished as the leading scorer for the Jr. Blades with 32 points in 39 games. A former member of the Florida Jr. Everblades Midget program, Faggioli-DeLong also got a chance to play in two games with the Jr. Blades Premier team.

Arnaud Bourgeois-Barry, Palm Beach Typhoon

The ‘05 from Quebec jumped right into his first junior season and immediately lead the Typhoon in scoring for his first year, scoring 34 points in 40 games. Bourgeois-Barry’s 34 points ranked fifth in the three-year history of the Typhoon.

Defense

Jacob Munkwitz, Tampa Bay Juniors

Munkwitz (‘04/Smithtown, N.Y.) came to the Juniors from Long Island, where he had three prior years of USPHL experience with the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders organization. Jumping into a new organization was a seamless transition for this strong blueliner, who put up 41 points in 40 games in the regular season. He also helped the Juniors in the postseason, adding four assists as they made a run in the USPHL Nationals. His 20:12 of ice time was second on the Juniors, as were his 37 blocked shots. His 119 shots on goal led the Tampa Bay defense.

Lucas Gonzalez, Tampa Bay Juniors

Gonzalez (‘04/Superior, Colo.) is another who came from beyond Florida to join the many longtime teammates on the Juniors and mixed right in – and led the way as well. Gonzalez skated the most of any Juniors player this year, at 21:18, while also contributing 36 points in 43 games in his second USPHL season. Having previously played with the WBS Knights, he was able to make his second straight trip to USPHL Elite Nationals. His +43 on the season tied Dylan Hineman for the Juniors team lead.

Sean Burke, Florida Eels

Burke (‘03/Wellesley, Mass.) unfortunately saw his season interrupted due to injury – he missed all of January – but while he was on hand for the Eels, he was extremely strong. He scored 23 points in 24 games this year from the blue line, and he led the team in average ice time at 22:23 per game. The second-year blueliner, an Elon University (ACHA) recruit, leaves junior hockey with 46 points in 64 Elite games, and he also played in nine Premier games, joining that team through most of October 2023.

Goaltender

Jackson Bernier, Atlanta MadHatters

Bernier (‘03/Belfast, Maine) posted the USPHL Elite’s second best save percentage for a single season at .952 – ranked first in 2023-24 – thanks to his huge season of going 9-5-0-0 and pushing the MadHatters to a first-ever trip to the USPHL Nationals. Bernier went 2-0 during the postseason while making four total appearances. Bernier is first in MadHatters history for his .952 save percentage as well as his 1.58 single season goals against average.

Ethan Carlone, Tampa Bay Juniors

Carlone (‘04/Tecumseh, Ont.) joined the Juniors in October and was off to the races, coming out of the regular season with a .924 save percentage and an 11-3-0-0 record, along with a 2.30 GAA. He then went 4-1-1-0 with a .935 save percentage in the postseason, including the Juniors’ Nationals run.

The United States Premier Hockey League (“USPHL”) is pleased to announce the hiring of Mark Kumpel as Tier 3 Director of Operations. Mark played for University of Massachusetts-Lowell prior to embarking on a lengthy career in the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League including 288 games with the Quebec Nordiques, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets.

Mark was also a member of the 1983 Team USA Gold Medal World Champions and the 1984 Olympic team. Mark also had a distinguished career as a scout and coach for teams in the NHL (Scout for Atlanta Thrashers), AHL (Head Coach of Portland Pirates), and East Coast Hockey League (Head Coach of Nashville Knights and Dayton Bombers) as well as having won several championships as a coach in junior hockey.

Mark served as the Team Leader for Team USA in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup from 2016-2019 and 2021. Mark previously was also the director of hockey operations for the Eastern Hockey League, a Tier 3 league based in New England, and the Eastern Hockey Federation, the largest youth hockey league in New England.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mark to the USPHL,” said Interim Commissioner, Murry N. Gunty. “Mark is exactly what our league needs right now and will bring rigor to our operations and support to our member clubs to make the USPHL the best Tier 3 league anywhere. Mark will join Jim Hunt (Senior Hockey Advisor), Kevin Abrams (NCDC Director of Operations) and Tony Zasowski (Deputy Commissioner) in the senior leadership of the USPHL and will truly help us propel our league forward.”

“I am excited for the next chapter in my hockey career,” said Mark Kumpel. “I am looking forward to using my past experience to help the USPHL players and clubs to achieve their goals on and off the ice.”

“Mark is the right person at the right time for our league,” said Jim Ford, Executive Committee Member and Owner of the Islanders Hockey Club. “We were fortunate that my partner Gary Ford and I have a longstanding relationship with Mark and as a result we were able to bring Mark into our league where we are confident he can make a huge difference.”

About the United States Premier Hockey League
Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players aged 9-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada.

Our Junior Divisions consist of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free, Tier 2 Junior hockey division, and our Premier & Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement. Our youth & midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 9U through 18U teams.

The USPHL has sent over 8,000 players to all levels of college hockey including over 3,300 into NCAA college hockey and over 200 players into NCAA Division I hockey. The USPHL has also had 17 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

The United States Premier Hockey League (“USPHL”) is pleased to announce a number of team changes and new franchises as follows:

• The Columbia Infantry have been sold to Shannon and Greg Albers. Shannon and Greg have been involved in the club for years and live locally. The team will continue to play out of the Flight Adventure Park in Irmo, S.C., near Columbia, S.C., and will remain in the Southeast Division;

• The former Buffalo Stampede have been sold to Michaela Conrad, Kyle Gagneau and Jacob Lainesse. They are relocating to Griff’s Ice House West in Holland, Mich., and have changed their name to the Fresh Coast Freeze. They will remain in the Great Lakes Division;

• The former Las Vegas Thunderbirds are changing their name to the Henderson Force and are changing their home arena to the America First Center in Henderson, Nev.;

• The Battle Creek Kernels will be moving from the Midwest East Division into the Great Lakes Division for the 2024-25 season, to better align with their location in Michigan;

• The former Casper Roughnecks will be relocating to Enoch, Utah, just outside of Cedar City, playing out of KJ’s Ice Barn in the 2024-25 season as the Iron County Yeti (originally founded as the Southern Utah Yeti). The Yeti will play in the Northwest Division;

• The Twin City Thunder will be adding a Premier team beginning in the 2024-25 season, in addition to their NCDC team. The Thunder will play in the New England Division;

• The West Chester Wolves will be adding a Premier team starting in the 2024-25 season, in addition to their NCDC team. The Wolves will play in the Atlantic division;

• The Mercer Chiefs will be adding a Premier team starting in the 2024-25 season, in addition to their NCDC team. The Chiefs will play in the Atlantic Division;

• The Bremerton Sockeyes, under the ownership of Andrew Eustis, will be adding a Premier team beginning in the 2024-25 season playing out of the Bremerton Ice Center, in Bremerton, Wash. The team will play in the Northwest Division;

• The Colorado Fighting Elk, under the ownership of Donovan Gault, will be adding a Premier team beginning in the 2024-25 season, playing out of Moffat County Ice Arena in Craig, Colo. The team will play in the Northwest Division, and;

• The South Shore Kings will be adding an Elite team beginning in the 2024-25 season playing out of Foxboro Sports Center in Foxboro, Mass. The team will play in the New England Division.

“We are thrilled to welcome these new owners to our Premier and Elite Division(s),” said Interim Commissioner, Murry N. Gunty. “These new ownership groups and relocations will serve to strengthen our footprint and create strong travel partners for our existing clubs. These announcements mark the end of the expansion phase of the USPHL. Other than rare, targeted growth, we are turning our attention inward to enhance our operations and to focus primarily on player development.”

About the United States Premier Hockey League

Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players aged 8-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada. Our Junior Divisions consist of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free, Tier 2 Junior hockey division and our Premier and Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement. Our youth and midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 9U through 18U teams. The USPHL has sent over 8,000 players to all levels of college hockey including over 3,300 into NCAA college hockey and over 200 players into NCAA Division 1 hockey. The USPHL has also had 17 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The United States Premier Hockey League (“USPHL”) hereby announces that Commissioner Bob Turow has decided to move on to other opportunities and, effective immediately, is no longer Commissioner of the USPHL.

Executive Committee Member Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear Sports Group, has been named Interim Commissioner of the league. Tony Zasowski, Director of Leagues and Tournaments for Black Bear, has been named Deputy Commissioner of the USPHL.

“We wish Bob well in the next phase of his career,” said Murry N. Gunty, Interim Commissioner. “I am looking forward to building on all the great work that many people before me did to create the largest and best junior hockey league in the country.”

“I would like to thank the many Owners, General Managers and Coaches as well as the dedicated league office for their tireless efforts,” said Bob Turow. “The opportunity to fuse the USPHL’s national brand at the junior level with Black Bear’s youth leagues and other programming offers endless opportunities for everyone involved.”

“Murry is the right person to help take our league to the next level,” said Bobby Reiss, Founder of the USPHL and Executive Committee member. “We are looking forward to the next phase in the future of our league.”

“The future of the USPHL is very bright,” said Jim Ford, Executive Committee Member and owner of the Islanders Hockey Club. “The focus going forward will be to strengthen our partners and provide the best possible experience for our players to achieve their hockey goals.”

About The USPHL
Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players in more than 100 organizations, with player ages ranging from 6 to 21.

Our teams are geographically diverse, ranging from North and South to the Midwest, West Coast and also in Canada. The USPHL fields teams in a variety of divisions from Junior to youth (in partnership with the Tier 1 Hockey Federation). Our Junior Divisions consist of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free, Tier 2 Junior hockey division and our Premier and Elite Divisions, all geared toward college placement and beyond.

Our midget and youth divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation and Atlantic Hockey Federation) consist of Full-Season 8U thru 18U age levels. The USPHL has sent more than 8,000 players to all levels of college hockey, and more than 3,300 into the NCAA college hockey, since its 2012 founding.

The NCDC has put more than 250 players into NCAA Division I hockey and has seen seven players drafted by NHL teams directly from the NCDC.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forwards

John Crowdell, Rockets Hockey Club

He has served well – very well! The ‘03 from Staten Island leaves the USPHL Elite as the league’s all-time leader in scoring with 191 points in 87 games. Not surprisingly, his 86 career goals and 105 career assists are also tops in the league. In taking on the league’s career record, he also set a league record in single season goals (57) and he has the second-most points in an Elite season with 108. He also put up 10 points in eight playoff games, including seven points in six games this year that saw the Rockets make the USPHL Nationals. Additionally, Crowdell was called up for seven Premier Rockets games and scored eight points in that process.

Jace Lombardo, Rockets Hockey Club

While his teammate – and fellow Staten Islander – set the all-time career record, Lombardo currently holds the single season points record with 113 after this year, after putting up 44 goals and a league single season record of 69 assists. Lombardo was a second-year Rocket along with Crowdell, and is ranked fifth all-time with 147 points.

Tyler Hamlin, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Hamlin (‘05/Binghamton, N.Y.) put forth a great showing all season for the Knights, who made their third straight trip in three years of existence to the USPHL Elite Nationals. Hamlin scored 29 goals and 42 points in 42 games as a first-year junior player. In the playoffs, he registered seven points in five games. From Jan. 13 to the end of the season, Hamlin was red-hot with 17 goals and eight assists for 25 points in a 12-game scoring streak to close out 2023-24.

Patrick Devaney, Jersey Hitmen

Devaney (‘06/West Caldwell, N.J.) was an immense find for the Hitmen – and they didn’t have to look far. Devaney came up with the youth hockey New Jersey Bandits at the Ice Vault in Wayne, the same home ice as for the Hitmen. Devaney, a star player for nearby West Essex High School, his rookie junior season was a resounding success, as he put up 28 goals and 30 assists for 58 points. His average of 1.38 points per game is third best in Elite Hitmen history.

Justin Morrissey, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Morrissey (‘06/Patchogue, N.Y.) was a great local addition for the Jr. Islanders, coming out of the Long Island Mustangs, Gulls and – most recently – Royals programs before he made his debut with the Jr. Islanders this year. He scored 38 goals and 44 assists for 82 points in 42 games. This ranks in the top 15 all-time for a single season in the Elite, and certainly is the best-ever for a P.A.L. player. Morrissey played for the Premier Jr. Islanders in November, and registered an assist in his only Premier appearance this year.

Lucas Lewin, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Lewin (‘06/Hewlett, N.Y.) is another former Long Island Gull who jumped over to the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders at the 15O level in 2021-22. He brought every ounce of his 6-foot, 165-pound frame to the ice every shift for P.A.L., registering 34 goals and 65 points in 43 games. Lewin made his Premier debut in the same Nov. 8 game as Morrissey, and then also played on Nov. 19, registering three points in his first two games at that level. Lewin was the Jr. Isles’ leading scorer in the postseason with five points in their three-game series against the Rockets Hockey Club.

Bobby Trites, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

A former Long Island Royals teammate of Justin Morrissey and former 15O P.A.L. teammate of Lewin, Trites (‘06/Smithtown, N.Y.) managed to both put up 47 points in 32 games for the Elite Jr. Islanders and also a combined 50 points in 26 games for the local Smithtown-Hauppauge high school team. Trites was also a strong contributor in the postseason with four points in three playoff games.

Defense

Peter Allen, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

All year, the big blueliner has been the rock for P.A.L., not only keeping P.A.L. at or near the top of the division all season long, but also helping them in the end to a +42 goal differential. A fourth-year Jr. Islander, Allen is in his second Elite season and is currently fifth all-time in P.A.L. scoring with his 55 points in 78 games, which also makes him the Elite Jr. Isles’ top scoring blueliner of all time, as well.

Justin Modzelewski, Rockets Hockey Club

Our third Staten Islander, Modzelewski (‘03) returned for a second season with the Rockets this year and improved in every aspect of his already solid game from when he started in 2022-23. This past 2023-24 season, Modzelewski improved his point total by 20 points from 14 to 34 points, off of a line of eight goals and 26 assists. The Rockets, who advanced to Nationals, ended up with the division’s best goal differential of +45. In the playoffs and at Nationals, Modzelewski – a four-year teammate of Crowdell and three-year teammate of Lombardo – supplied a very important goal during the Rockets’ knock-down drag-out three-game series with P.A.L.

Christopher Kobayashi, Jersey Hitmen

Kobayashi (‘05/Hillsdale, N.J.) completed Year 2 with the Hitmen and, like Modzelewski and Allen, he saw a significant jump in his offensive contribution to the team. He put up 28 points this year in 40 games after registering a pair of points in 38 games last year. He’s done all of this while also regularly playing with nearby Paramus Catholic High School the last four years. Kobayashi also earned seven games up with the Premier Hitmen this year, between October and January.

Goaltenders

Joseph Auletti, Rockets Hockey Club

Staten Islander No. 4, Auletti (‘05) is coming off his first year with the Rockets, but he’s hit the ice for high school hockey in the past with Jace Lombardo at Monsignor Farrell High School. This year, Auletti finished with a .940 save percentage in his 16 appearances, taking third place overall in the league. He went 12-3-0-0 on the year to help the Rockets make their return to the USPHL Elite Nationals. In the postseason, he went 1-1-0-0 with a .913 save percentage.

Chase Ebeyer, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Ebeyer (‘04/Scottsdale, Ariz.) came to the Knights with a prior season of USPHL Elite experience already under his blades, but blew past that in nearly every stat in looking at year-over-year development. Ebeyer improved from four wins last year to 10 years this year, as he put up a .917 save percentage in net as well.

Photos In This Post Courtesy Of San Jose Sharks

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

Former Boston Junior Bruins NCDC standout Collin Graf has already made his mark in the NHL. After making his pro and NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks on April 6, skating in 13:36 of ice time of a 3-2 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues.

The next day, April 7, saw Graf skate in 16:37 of ice time and register his first assist when Luke Kunin tied the game for San Jose. Graf sent a textbook pass from behind the net to Kunin for the goal that made it 2-2, before Arizona went on to win 5-2.

#NCDCAlumni #NCDCInThePros: That didn’t take long. Collin Graf earned his first @NHL point in his second game, assisting on a this goal that temporarily tied the @SanJoseSharks‘ game against Arizona.

This was his second game, after making his #NHLDebut on Saturday vs. St. Louis https://t.co/4J5lpsRBaX

— NCDC Hockey (@NCDCJrHockey) April 8, 2024

A former Junior Bruins youth hockey player from nearby Lincoln, Mass., Graf first started playing with the Junior Bruins in the USPHL in 2016-17 as part of their USPHL16U season, starting the season at the age of 14. He played three seasons totaling 67 games and scored 59 points.

He spent the majority of his final year of 16U eligibility with the Junior Bruins 18U team, and the transition was flawless – he was named to the USPHL 16U All-Star Game in 2018 and the 18U All-Star Game in 2019.

The next year, 2019-20, Graf made his NCDC debut at the age of 17, and then captained the Junior Bruins as an 18-year-old in 2020-21. Over two NCDC seasons, he registered 109 points in 97 combined regular season and playoff games. He played in NCDC All-Star Games in both 2020 and 2021.

He played with Union College in 2021-22 (scoring 22 points in 37 games), earning ECAC All-Academic Honors as a freshman. He transferred after that season to Quinnipiac University and was immense in helping the Bobcats to their first-ever NCAA Division I National Championship.

After scoring 59 points, Graf was heavily decorated – Hobey Baker Finalist, First Team East All-American, All-ECAC First Team, and Frozen Four All-Tournament team, just to name a few laurels. He shared Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalist honors with fellow former Junior Bruin and Quinnipiac teammate Yaniv Perets.

This season, he put up 49 points and is once again a Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalist, one of two NCDC alumni in that category, along with former Jersey Hitmen forward and NCDC 2020-21 Player Of The Year Liam McLinskey with Holy Cross.

Sam Lipkin became the second former NCDC player and former Quinnipiac University player and National Champion to sign an NHL contract on April 4.

Lipkin, who played with the Rockets Hockey Club in 2020-21, signed with the Arizona Coyotes, who had selected him in 2021 NHL Entry Draft. That year, Lipkin was on of three players drafted directly out of the NCDC, which led all North American Tier II leagues for that year.

According to the NHL.com/Coyotes website, as per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. Lipkin will report to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL).

Photo Courtesy Quinnipiac University Athletics Dept.

“We are pleased to sign Sam Lipkin and have him join our organization,” said Armstrong. “Sam is a big, skilled, two-way forward who had a very successful college career. We look forward to continuing to watch his development.”

The 2003-born native of Philadelphia, Pa., joined the Rockets at Hub City Tampa, the six-week event in which all of the NCDC teams of that season played in Tampa, Fla., in a closed community system to diminish the risk and spread of COVID-19. In the 19 games he played that winter, he put up 25 points.

Lipkin came in with four games of USHL experience already under his belt and jumped over to the Chicago Steel at the end of that season and finished with 13 points in 38 combined USHL regular season and playoff games. The next year, he was dominant for the Steel, putting up 71 points in 59 games as the Team Captain.

In 2022-23, he joined the Quinnipiac University Bobcats, ultimately winning ECAC Hockey Rookie Of The Year honors and helping the Bobcats to their first National Championship. After also winning the Clark Cup with the Steel in 2022, that gave him two straight championships.

Lipkin was also member of Team USA at the 2023 World Junior Championships and earned a Bronze Medal.

The San Jose Sharks officially reported the signing of former Boston Junior Bruins standout Collin Graf to a standard, entry level contract on April 4. The contract will begin immediately for the 2023-24 season.

“Graf has excelled at the collegiate level, finishing as a Hobey Baker Top-10 finalist for the last two seasons,” said Grier, in the posting on the NHL.com/Sharks official team website. “His on-ice awareness allows him to process the game at a high level, and is a unique player with a quality 200-foot game who excels in the offensive zone. We are excited to have him join the organization.”

Photo Courtesy Quinnipiac University Athletics Dept.

By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com

In connection with the prior announcement about the West Chester Wolves made on March 21, the Boston Junior Bruins have announced that they have sold their NCDC franchise to the West Chester Wolves effective in the 2024-25 season.

The Junior Bruins, charter members during the USPHL’s formation in 2012, and with teams at multiple Junior and Midget levels every year since the 2013-14 inaugural season, were also instrumental in the founding of the National Collegiate Development Conference ahead of its 2017-18 inaugural season. They won the second Dineen Cup title in the NCDC’s history, in 2019.

The Junior Bruins will remain members of the USPHL, competing at the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite Tier III levels, while also continuing to field high performing Midget 18U and 16U teams in the Tier 1 Hockey Federation, through that league’s partnership with the USPHL.

The Boston Junior Bruins also lay claim to the first NCDC alum to reach the NHL, when Drew O’Connor (2017-18) reached the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins out of Dartmouth College in 2020-21. He has played this 2023-24 season exclusively with Pittsburgh in the NHL for the first time in his pro career. O’Connor was one of 60 eventual NCAA Division I players to have worn the Junior Bruins jersey during their time in the NCDC.

Former Junior Bruins Collin Graf and Yaniv Perets helped Quinnipiac University win the 2023 NCAA National Championship and have both been repeat Hobey Baker Award nominees. Graf is a Hobey Baker Award Top 10 Finalist this year.

As part of the overall transaction, Peter Masters has stepped down from the Executive Committee, and Murry Gunty has joined the Committee. We wish to thank Peter for his years of exceptional service to the USPHL.

About The NCDC
The National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) was founded in 2017 as the Tuition-Free Tier II conference of the United States Premier Hockey League, itself founded in 2012. The NCDC consists of 18 teams in three divisions, two on the Eastern Seaboard and one in the Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Utah and Idaho.

The NCDC has sent more than 250 alumni to play NCAA Division I hockey, and more than 900 overall into NCAA college hockey. There were also more than 250 alumni in pro hockey around the world during the 2023-24 season. Former NCDC player Drew O’Connor has become a regular with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, and there have been seven players selected in the NHL Entry Draft from the NCDC.

The Northern Cyclones overcame deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 en route to an eventual 3-2 Cyclones victory over the defending 2023 National Champion Carolina Jr. Hurricanes to seal up the 2023-24 National Championship.

Luke Waterson started the scoring for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes at 8:07 of the first period, and they kept that lead going into the second period.

Noah Malcolm was the first Cyclone to get his team on the board exactly 1:00 into the second period, with assists from Owen Kneeland and Matthew Taylor.

Luke Waterson struck at 5:48 of the second period, scoring his fifth goal in the last three games. That put the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes up 2-1, which was the last lead the Jr. Canes would see.

The Cyclones then tied the game at 2-2, off the Nick Nardone breakaway effort at the 16:43 mark

The Cyclones’ GWG, also the championship-winning goal, was scored by Owen Kneeland at the 4:41 mark, marking the first time a team scored back-to-back goals in the otherwise dead-even game.

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