Pittsburgh Hornets AAA Hockey - Simply the Best
The Pittsburgh Hornets take great pride in being one of the top AAA amateur hockey programs in the country providing a "pathway of opportunities" for our amateur atheletes to realize their hockey goals and dreams. Recently, Mike Betts, the outstanding President of our organization, had an opportunity to issue a "State of the Hornets" address, summarizing the accomplishments of all of our teams. We reprint select portions of the address in the Blogspot, and encourage all athletes that are interested in realizing their dreams to consider becoming part of our organization.
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PITTSBURGH HORNETS
Members' Newsletter - March 3, 2006
Greetings, members. First, I'd like to update you on our teams' on-ice accomplishments --
Midget Majors
Our Midget Majors (18U) are of course our flagship team, and the team is coached by Head Coach Joe Gaul and Assistant Coach Chris Stern. Our Midget program is well established as one of the leading programs in the U.S. for player development. The MMs compete as a full member in the Midwest Elite Hockey League (MWEHL), along with Compuware, Honeybaked, Little Caesars, Team Illinois, Marquette, Belle Tire, Soo Indians, Chicago Young Americans, Capital Centre, Cleveland Barons and Victory Honda.
This season the MMs are once again one of the top Midget teams in the U.S., with an overall record of 39-27-6. The team is ranked No. 9 by MidgetAAAHockey.com and NationalHockeyRankings.com. The MMs finished the MWEHL regular season in second place, behind Team Illinois. Hornet Pat Gaul led the league in scoring, and five of the league's ten top scorers were Hornets -- in addition to Pat, Ron Cramer, Bill Ozanick, Gerry Raymond, Chris Cerutti, and Furman South. Rob Madore has established himself as one of the top goalies in North America in his birth year (1988) and one of the top goalies in the MWEHL. Discussing Rob's performance in the recent MWEHL showcase, the MMs' blogspot (February 18, 2006 posting) reported: "the talk of the tournament . . . amongst the hoards of scouts . . . has been the electrifying goaltending of Rob Madore." Rob, as you may have heard, had the honor of being asked to practice with the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this season.
Last season our MMs advanced to the USA Hockey Tier I National Championship (along with our 90s and the 92s), and reached the final four. The MMs appear to be poised to make another great tournament run this season, beginning with the state playoffs in mid-March. The 18U National Championship is scheduled for March 29 through April 2 in Rochester.
The MMs' roster consists of Andrew Blazek, Connor Blood, Matt Celin, Chris Cerutti, Jake DellaValle, Pat Gaul, Jeff Hannan, Jake Machel, Rob Madore, Brian McGinty, Ryan McGrath, Chris Morford, Bill Ozanick, Marek Polidor, Gerry Raymond, Dan Sidle, Furman South and Eric Windmueller. Ron Cramer played most of the season with the MMs, and recently accepted a roster position with the Indiana Ice of the USHL.
16Us
Our Midget Minor team (16U; 1989 and 1990 birth years) is having a highly successful season. The team has a record of 41-19-5 and has made impressive showings in the tournaments they have entered: champions of the RMU Island Sports Invitational in January; runners-up at the Mad City Shootout in Madison, Wisconsin, the Labor Day Face Off, and the Culver Cornfield Classic; and semi-finalists at the Big Bear Tournament in Detroit and the New Jersey Devils Invitational. The team has a number of impressive wins, including victories over Team Illinois and Victory Honda of the MWEHL, and the Chicago Mission of the MAHL. The 16Us are currently ranked eleventh in the U.S. by MidgetAAAHockey.com. Like the MMs, the 16Us also are preparing for the state and district playoffs and, hopefully, the USA Hockey National Championship from March 29 through April 2 - also in Rochester.
The 16Us' roster consists of Bryan Brown, Nate Brown, Jared Fuhs, Tim Graulty, Tim Hall, Don Harris, John Houston, Chris Juba, Michael Martin, Parker Milner, Cody Parker, Philip Peters, James Recupero, Jeffjoe Regula, Jesse Root, Colin South, Kurt Washnock, Nick Winebrenner, Trevor Yealy and Taj Zielezinski.
91s
Under the leadership of Head Coach Dave Hanson and Assistant Coaches Dan Hestin and Jamie Cummings, the 91s have significantly upgraded and have developed into a very highly-regarded team in their age division, with a record of 34-19-5. The team has a number of impressive wins, including victories over Compuware, the Boston Jr. Terriers, the New Jersey Devils, the Greater Boston Bruins, the Cleveland Barons and the Washington Little Caps. Dave reports that the team has had exceptional player unity all season long and is excited about pursuing their goal to represent the Mid-Am District and our organization in the USA Hockey National Tournament from March 29 through April 2 in Rochester.
The 91s' roster consists of Brody Aukerman, Ed Barca, Tom Comunale, Chris Cummings, Joshua Dudley, Adam Germeyer, Robert Himler, Alex Knupp, Andrew Ong, Michael Pateras, Cory Pelligreno, Kyle Shaffer, Matthew Skoff, E.J. Stepano, Eric Tkacik, Patrick Wey, Matthew White and Drew Williams.
92s
The 92s, led by Head Coach Jim Lilja and Assistant Coach Jeff Potter, have compiled a record of 55-13-7 and are ranked No. 10 in the U.S. by NationalHockeyRankings.com . The 92s ranking could well be higher, as they have beaten the No. 1-ranked team, Compuware, three out of four games this season. The 92s' record is impressive, considering the strength of their schedule. Most of their games were against top opponents and the tournaments entered by the 92s featured the other elite teams in North America. The 92s participated in the Toronto Red Wings Early Bird Tournament, Silver Stick Finals, Bell Cup, Hornets Crossroads Tournament (hosted by the 92s and 93), the Chicago Chill/Mission International Invitational and the MWEHL 92s Showcase Tournament. Impressive wins include victories over Compuware (3 wins), the New Jersey Avalanche (last season's national champions), the Cleveland Barons (6 wins in 6 games), the Chicago Mission (2 wins), Team Illinois, the Toronto Young Nats, L.A. Hockey Club, and the Mississauga Ice Dogs.
The 92s' roster consists of Will Betts, Nick Grace, Michael Houser, Stephen Johns, Jurgen Koster, Chase Lehigh, Kevin Liss, Ty Loney, Zac Lynch, Dylan Margonari, C.J. Murray, Brandon Platt, Brandon Saad, Clay Scott, Bryan Watt, Connor Wells and Charles Williams.
93s
Under Head Coach Don Barber, with assistance from Steve Meriney and Vince Trochek, the 93s are one of the most talented '93 teams in the U.S. One of the highlights of the season for the 93s (and undoubtedly for their youth hockey careers) was the opportunity to participate in the legendary Quebec International Peewee Tournament in mid-February. This was the third consecutive season we have had a team invited to participate in the top division of this unique tournament and the 93s continued our organization's record of excellence at the tournament, advancing to the final eight teams. After losing their first game in a heartbreaker, 2-1 to West Island, the 93s won their next three "Cup Games," beating Drummondville Voltige (Quebec) (by a score of 5-4), Sudbury (4-1) and Beaubourg (4-1), before falling to the Minutemen Flames, who eventually lost in the finals to Compuware by a score of 2-1. The 93s also played three exhibition games in Quebec, winning two of the games. One of the exhibition games was against Victoria, which is the team that Head Coach Don Barber had played for as a youth hockey player in British Columbia. In fact, Don's Peewee coach still coaches the team, so Don had a great time connecting with his hockey roots. The 93s also took advantage of the rich cultural experience provided by the tournament, among other things playing a pick-up game on an outdoor rink in the Old City, and enjoying the Winter Carnival and snow tubing park. Congratulations, 93s and Coach Don Barber, on a fine showing at this prestigious tournament!
The 93s have had a highly successful season in addition to the Quebec tournament, with victories over (among others) the Mississauga Senators, Florida Panthers, Chicago Chill, Chicago Mission, St. Louis Blues, Mercer Chiefs, and Cleveland Barons.
The 93s are looking forward to participating in the state, district and national tournament for 12U teams. Although the team has traveled extensively this season, they are hoping to spend late March and early April in Lawrence, Massachusetts -- this year's site of the USA Hockey National Championship for 12U teams.
The 93s' roster consists of Nate Altman, Mike Amelio, Riley Barber, Brady Cummings, Jacob Friedland, Jake Hildebrand, Barret Kaib, Kevin Kline, Willy Koster, Chad Lehigh, Ryan Magdinec, Chris Meriney, J.T. Miller, Troy Schall, Woody Shell, Vince Trocheck and Rick Villani.
94s
The 94s, led by Head Coach Junior Cannister and assistants Steve Harbison and Dale Gornall, played a very challenging schedule against many of the top teams in their age division. For example, the team was able to schedule and play ten of the twenty teams that advanced to the Silver Stick Finals. The 94s played against teams from various leagues, including MWEHL, Mid America, Eastern Hockey Federation, Empire West, Metro Boston and Atlantic Youth Hockey League. The team played in the following tournaments: National Hockey Rankings.Com, Syracuse Early Bird, Silver Sticks Regionals, Shanahan Tournament, Bell Cup, Hockeytown Invitational and the First Annual Hornets Invitational. The 94s successfully hosted the First Annual Hornet Invitational in February at RMU ISC, and the team also performed well on the ice with a 3-1 record in the tournament but missed the playoffs when the fell victim to the goal differential tiebreaker.
In just their second season, the 94s have laid the foundation for future success and we expect that the team will emerge into one of the top teams next season.
The 94s' roster consists of Blake Barber, Collin Cannister, Neil Carleton, Travis Cully, Michael Gornall, Robbie Harbison, Peter Karney, William King, Dan Kucerovy, Evan Lestini, Ryan Puccetti, Nickolas Schultz, Eric Smith, William Sutyak, Michael Sweeney, Zachary Volzer and Andrew Whaley.
95s
The 95s, under Head Coach Mike Magulick and Assistant Coach Jeff Bele, are completing their first season at the Tier I level. Coach Magulick reports that the team is a hard-working group of players with an excellent base to continue the Hornets tradition of excellence. The team gained valuable experience competing against other top organizations, and the 95s were invited to, and participated in, the MWEHL tournament.
The 95s also excelled with off-ice endeavors, as well. The team raised $4,600 for Children's Hospital through a benefit dinner they organized and hosted, and presented the check to Children's Hospital on live television during the KDKA telethon. Congratulations to the 95s for finding the time and energy for their good works during a busy hockey season! This was a true "win-win" that can serve as an example for other teams, as the funds raised by the 95s are being used for an extremely worthy cause (providing medical treatment to disadvantaged children with serious diseases and injuries), and at the same time the players learned valuable llife essons about the importance of "giving back" and helping those in need.
The 95s' roster consists of Connor Ackerman, Alexander Androkites, Erik Dietrich, Tom Diffendal, Ian Frantz, Luke Gensler, Tanner Gilliland, John Gyurina, Robert Hapanowicz, Jordan Krajnikovich, Mathew Miller, Troy Steinheiser, Kyle Williams and Michael Zidansek.
Alumni Achievements
We may not be perfect, and we recognize that we need to strive to improve as an organization. But our ever-expanding list of alumni who have moved on to play college and professional hockey shows that we must be doing something right in providing our players with a "Pathway for Opportunities." As an organization, we are proud of the many Hornets players who have advanced to college, juniors and professional hockey. We have a track record for developing and placing players that is unrivaled in the region and that compares favorably with the other top Tier I programs in the U.S. For a complete list, see the updated alumni list posted on the organization's website, http://www.pittsburghhornets.com/ (click on "Alumni"). Our alumni's achievements are too numerous to mention, but here are some of the recent highlights --
NHL
Eleven Hornets alumni have now been drafted by NHL teams, and this list is about to increase with Hornets alumni such as Patrick Mullen, Christian Hanson and Dane Hetland playing in college (next season for Dane) and rated highly by NHL scouts. The eleven draft picks to date are:
PITTSBURGH HORNETS NHL DRAFT PICKS
PLAYER
DRAFTED BY
YEAR
COLLEGE/JR. TEAM
Members' Newsletter - March 3, 2006
Greetings, members. First, I'd like to update you on our teams' on-ice accomplishments --
Midget Majors
Our Midget Majors (18U) are of course our flagship team, and the team is coached by Head Coach Joe Gaul and Assistant Coach Chris Stern. Our Midget program is well established as one of the leading programs in the U.S. for player development. The MMs compete as a full member in the Midwest Elite Hockey League (MWEHL), along with Compuware, Honeybaked, Little Caesars, Team Illinois, Marquette, Belle Tire, Soo Indians, Chicago Young Americans, Capital Centre, Cleveland Barons and Victory Honda.
This season the MMs are once again one of the top Midget teams in the U.S., with an overall record of 39-27-6. The team is ranked No. 9 by MidgetAAAHockey.com and NationalHockeyRankings.com. The MMs finished the MWEHL regular season in second place, behind Team Illinois. Hornet Pat Gaul led the league in scoring, and five of the league's ten top scorers were Hornets -- in addition to Pat, Ron Cramer, Bill Ozanick, Gerry Raymond, Chris Cerutti, and Furman South. Rob Madore has established himself as one of the top goalies in North America in his birth year (1988) and one of the top goalies in the MWEHL. Discussing Rob's performance in the recent MWEHL showcase, the MMs' blogspot (February 18, 2006 posting) reported: "the talk of the tournament . . . amongst the hoards of scouts . . . has been the electrifying goaltending of Rob Madore." Rob, as you may have heard, had the honor of being asked to practice with the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this season.
Last season our MMs advanced to the USA Hockey Tier I National Championship (along with our 90s and the 92s), and reached the final four. The MMs appear to be poised to make another great tournament run this season, beginning with the state playoffs in mid-March. The 18U National Championship is scheduled for March 29 through April 2 in Rochester.
The MMs' roster consists of Andrew Blazek, Connor Blood, Matt Celin, Chris Cerutti, Jake DellaValle, Pat Gaul, Jeff Hannan, Jake Machel, Rob Madore, Brian McGinty, Ryan McGrath, Chris Morford, Bill Ozanick, Marek Polidor, Gerry Raymond, Dan Sidle, Furman South and Eric Windmueller. Ron Cramer played most of the season with the MMs, and recently accepted a roster position with the Indiana Ice of the USHL.
16Us
Our Midget Minor team (16U; 1989 and 1990 birth years) is having a highly successful season. The team has a record of 41-19-5 and has made impressive showings in the tournaments they have entered: champions of the RMU Island Sports Invitational in January; runners-up at the Mad City Shootout in Madison, Wisconsin, the Labor Day Face Off, and the Culver Cornfield Classic; and semi-finalists at the Big Bear Tournament in Detroit and the New Jersey Devils Invitational. The team has a number of impressive wins, including victories over Team Illinois and Victory Honda of the MWEHL, and the Chicago Mission of the MAHL. The 16Us are currently ranked eleventh in the U.S. by MidgetAAAHockey.com. Like the MMs, the 16Us also are preparing for the state and district playoffs and, hopefully, the USA Hockey National Championship from March 29 through April 2 - also in Rochester.
The 16Us' roster consists of Bryan Brown, Nate Brown, Jared Fuhs, Tim Graulty, Tim Hall, Don Harris, John Houston, Chris Juba, Michael Martin, Parker Milner, Cody Parker, Philip Peters, James Recupero, Jeffjoe Regula, Jesse Root, Colin South, Kurt Washnock, Nick Winebrenner, Trevor Yealy and Taj Zielezinski.
91s
Under the leadership of Head Coach Dave Hanson and Assistant Coaches Dan Hestin and Jamie Cummings, the 91s have significantly upgraded and have developed into a very highly-regarded team in their age division, with a record of 34-19-5. The team has a number of impressive wins, including victories over Compuware, the Boston Jr. Terriers, the New Jersey Devils, the Greater Boston Bruins, the Cleveland Barons and the Washington Little Caps. Dave reports that the team has had exceptional player unity all season long and is excited about pursuing their goal to represent the Mid-Am District and our organization in the USA Hockey National Tournament from March 29 through April 2 in Rochester.
The 91s' roster consists of Brody Aukerman, Ed Barca, Tom Comunale, Chris Cummings, Joshua Dudley, Adam Germeyer, Robert Himler, Alex Knupp, Andrew Ong, Michael Pateras, Cory Pelligreno, Kyle Shaffer, Matthew Skoff, E.J. Stepano, Eric Tkacik, Patrick Wey, Matthew White and Drew Williams.
92s
The 92s, led by Head Coach Jim Lilja and Assistant Coach Jeff Potter, have compiled a record of 55-13-7 and are ranked No. 10 in the U.S. by NationalHockeyRankings.com . The 92s ranking could well be higher, as they have beaten the No. 1-ranked team, Compuware, three out of four games this season. The 92s' record is impressive, considering the strength of their schedule. Most of their games were against top opponents and the tournaments entered by the 92s featured the other elite teams in North America. The 92s participated in the Toronto Red Wings Early Bird Tournament, Silver Stick Finals, Bell Cup, Hornets Crossroads Tournament (hosted by the 92s and 93), the Chicago Chill/Mission International Invitational and the MWEHL 92s Showcase Tournament. Impressive wins include victories over Compuware (3 wins), the New Jersey Avalanche (last season's national champions), the Cleveland Barons (6 wins in 6 games), the Chicago Mission (2 wins), Team Illinois, the Toronto Young Nats, L.A. Hockey Club, and the Mississauga Ice Dogs.
The 92s' roster consists of Will Betts, Nick Grace, Michael Houser, Stephen Johns, Jurgen Koster, Chase Lehigh, Kevin Liss, Ty Loney, Zac Lynch, Dylan Margonari, C.J. Murray, Brandon Platt, Brandon Saad, Clay Scott, Bryan Watt, Connor Wells and Charles Williams.
93s
Under Head Coach Don Barber, with assistance from Steve Meriney and Vince Trochek, the 93s are one of the most talented '93 teams in the U.S. One of the highlights of the season for the 93s (and undoubtedly for their youth hockey careers) was the opportunity to participate in the legendary Quebec International Peewee Tournament in mid-February. This was the third consecutive season we have had a team invited to participate in the top division of this unique tournament and the 93s continued our organization's record of excellence at the tournament, advancing to the final eight teams. After losing their first game in a heartbreaker, 2-1 to West Island, the 93s won their next three "Cup Games," beating Drummondville Voltige (Quebec) (by a score of 5-4), Sudbury (4-1) and Beaubourg (4-1), before falling to the Minutemen Flames, who eventually lost in the finals to Compuware by a score of 2-1. The 93s also played three exhibition games in Quebec, winning two of the games. One of the exhibition games was against Victoria, which is the team that Head Coach Don Barber had played for as a youth hockey player in British Columbia. In fact, Don's Peewee coach still coaches the team, so Don had a great time connecting with his hockey roots. The 93s also took advantage of the rich cultural experience provided by the tournament, among other things playing a pick-up game on an outdoor rink in the Old City, and enjoying the Winter Carnival and snow tubing park. Congratulations, 93s and Coach Don Barber, on a fine showing at this prestigious tournament!
The 93s have had a highly successful season in addition to the Quebec tournament, with victories over (among others) the Mississauga Senators, Florida Panthers, Chicago Chill, Chicago Mission, St. Louis Blues, Mercer Chiefs, and Cleveland Barons.
The 93s are looking forward to participating in the state, district and national tournament for 12U teams. Although the team has traveled extensively this season, they are hoping to spend late March and early April in Lawrence, Massachusetts -- this year's site of the USA Hockey National Championship for 12U teams.
The 93s' roster consists of Nate Altman, Mike Amelio, Riley Barber, Brady Cummings, Jacob Friedland, Jake Hildebrand, Barret Kaib, Kevin Kline, Willy Koster, Chad Lehigh, Ryan Magdinec, Chris Meriney, J.T. Miller, Troy Schall, Woody Shell, Vince Trocheck and Rick Villani.
94s
The 94s, led by Head Coach Junior Cannister and assistants Steve Harbison and Dale Gornall, played a very challenging schedule against many of the top teams in their age division. For example, the team was able to schedule and play ten of the twenty teams that advanced to the Silver Stick Finals. The 94s played against teams from various leagues, including MWEHL, Mid America, Eastern Hockey Federation, Empire West, Metro Boston and Atlantic Youth Hockey League. The team played in the following tournaments: National Hockey Rankings.Com, Syracuse Early Bird, Silver Sticks Regionals, Shanahan Tournament, Bell Cup, Hockeytown Invitational and the First Annual Hornets Invitational. The 94s successfully hosted the First Annual Hornet Invitational in February at RMU ISC, and the team also performed well on the ice with a 3-1 record in the tournament but missed the playoffs when the fell victim to the goal differential tiebreaker.
In just their second season, the 94s have laid the foundation for future success and we expect that the team will emerge into one of the top teams next season.
The 94s' roster consists of Blake Barber, Collin Cannister, Neil Carleton, Travis Cully, Michael Gornall, Robbie Harbison, Peter Karney, William King, Dan Kucerovy, Evan Lestini, Ryan Puccetti, Nickolas Schultz, Eric Smith, William Sutyak, Michael Sweeney, Zachary Volzer and Andrew Whaley.
95s
The 95s, under Head Coach Mike Magulick and Assistant Coach Jeff Bele, are completing their first season at the Tier I level. Coach Magulick reports that the team is a hard-working group of players with an excellent base to continue the Hornets tradition of excellence. The team gained valuable experience competing against other top organizations, and the 95s were invited to, and participated in, the MWEHL tournament.
The 95s also excelled with off-ice endeavors, as well. The team raised $4,600 for Children's Hospital through a benefit dinner they organized and hosted, and presented the check to Children's Hospital on live television during the KDKA telethon. Congratulations to the 95s for finding the time and energy for their good works during a busy hockey season! This was a true "win-win" that can serve as an example for other teams, as the funds raised by the 95s are being used for an extremely worthy cause (providing medical treatment to disadvantaged children with serious diseases and injuries), and at the same time the players learned valuable llife essons about the importance of "giving back" and helping those in need.
The 95s' roster consists of Connor Ackerman, Alexander Androkites, Erik Dietrich, Tom Diffendal, Ian Frantz, Luke Gensler, Tanner Gilliland, John Gyurina, Robert Hapanowicz, Jordan Krajnikovich, Mathew Miller, Troy Steinheiser, Kyle Williams and Michael Zidansek.
Alumni Achievements
We may not be perfect, and we recognize that we need to strive to improve as an organization. But our ever-expanding list of alumni who have moved on to play college and professional hockey shows that we must be doing something right in providing our players with a "Pathway for Opportunities." As an organization, we are proud of the many Hornets players who have advanced to college, juniors and professional hockey. We have a track record for developing and placing players that is unrivaled in the region and that compares favorably with the other top Tier I programs in the U.S. For a complete list, see the updated alumni list posted on the organization's website, http://www.pittsburghhornets.com/ (click on "Alumni"). Our alumni's achievements are too numerous to mention, but here are some of the recent highlights --
NHL
Eleven Hornets alumni have now been drafted by NHL teams, and this list is about to increase with Hornets alumni such as Patrick Mullen, Christian Hanson and Dane Hetland playing in college (next season for Dane) and rated highly by NHL scouts. The eleven draft picks to date are:
PITTSBURGH HORNETS NHL DRAFT PICKS
PLAYER
DRAFTED BY
YEAR
COLLEGE/JR. TEAM
Jason Crain
L.A. Kings
1999
Ohio State University
Eric Meloche
Pittsburgh Penguins
1999
Ohio State University
Ryan Malone
Pittsburgh Penguins
2000
St. Cloud State
Dwight LaBrosse
Pittsburgh Penguins
2001
Guelph Storm (OHL)
R.J. Umberger
Vancouver Canucks
2001
Ohio State University
Nate Guenin
New York Rangers
2002
Ohio State University
Cliff Loya
Chicago Blackhawks
2002
University of Maine
John Zeiler
Phoenix Coyotes
2002
St. Lawrence University
Dylan Reese
New York Rangers
2003
Harvard University
Grant Lewis
Atlanta Thrashers
2004
Dartmouth College
Matt Clackson
Philadelphia Flyers
2005
Western Michigan University
Other Professional
Active professional players include J.B. Bittner (former Captain of Ohio State) and Mike Betz (former goalie at Ohio State and all-time OSU leader in wins (73) and goals-against average (2.24)) of the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL and Bill Downey and Cliff Loya of the Wheeling Nailers , the Penguins' ECHL affiliate. For those of you who have experienced the thrill of seeing the Pittsburgh Hornets jersey prominently displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, you will recall that the jersey was that of Bill Downey -- as a result of scoring a game-winning goal at Nationals in 1999.
College
Many Hornets alums have advanced to the ranks of college hockey, and a number of former Hornets are presently enjoying productive careers with top D-1 programs. Here are some highlights --
Dane Hetland, a 1987 birth year currently with the Bay State Breakers of the the EJHL , recently accepted a scholarship from the Miami University Redhawks . Dane will begin classes in the fall of 2006. Miami competes in the CCHA against the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State and has evolved into one of the top D-1 programs in the country In fact, Miami finished the regular season this year in first place in the CCHA, with a conference record of 20-6-2 (beating Michigan twice) and 23-7-4 overall, and has earned a first-round bye in the CCHA playoffs that begin this weekend. This season, in 40 games with Baystate , Dane is the team's second-leading scorer with 20 goals and 22 assists for a total of 42 points.
Kris Mayotte, a senior at highly-regarded Union College , was recently named ECAC Hockey League Goalie of the Week for the third time this season. The ECAC Hockey League includes Dartmouth, Cornell, Princeton, Harvard, Colgate and the other Ivies. Kris is the first goaltender in the league to receive the award three times. To win the most recent Goalie of the Week honor, Kris combined for 55 saves on 57 shots to help Union pick up wins over Brown (2-1) and Yale (5-1) and extend the team’s unbeaten streak to five games. Congratulations to Kris on a fine career at Union. Remarkably, as Kris leaves Union, the incoming Union goalie next season will be recent Hornets alum Shaun Williams, currently with the Chicago Steel of the USHL.
Grant Lewis, a defenseman at Dartmouth University (first place in the ECAC) is one of the preliminary nominees for the Hobey Baker award. The preliminary candidates will be narrowed to ten finalists, and fan voting is considered by the Hobey Baker Committee in determining who the finalists will be. Please take the time to cast a vote (or votes, which is permitted) for Grant. He is truly a deserving candidate, given his success at Dartmouth and his known leadership qualities and character. Grant was a second-round draft pick (40th overall) of the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2004 NHL entry draft.
Dylan Reese continues to have a highly productive career at Harvard University. Dylan is a junior at Harvard and is regarded as one of the top defenseman in the ECAC Hockey League. For more about Dylan's career to date at Harvard, see the detailed and thorough Dylan Reese Bio posted on the Crimson website. Dylan's hockey resume is impressive: he played for the U.S. 17U development team, which won the Four Nations Cup in the Czech Republic in 2000 and also played for the U.S. 18U team in Germany the following year. Dylan also attended the U.S. World Junior Team selection camp in 2003 and he was named to the U.S. World Junior Team. Dylan played for the Pittsburgh Forge of the NAHL for two seasons, leading the team to a championship and was named the league's top defenseman. Dylan is a 2003 seventh-round draft pick of the New York Rangers.
John Zeiler is enjoying a distinguished college hockey career with the St. Lawrence University Saints of the ECAC . A winger, John is the second-highest scorer on the team (fifteenth in the league). He also is regarded as one of the toughest players in college hockey; according to a posting on the St. Lawrence website: "Zeiler is a prototypical first-line forward. He’s skilled, turns in a consistent effort, and wants the puck on his stick in big situations." John was a fifth-round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2002 NHL entry draft.
Patrick Mullen is a freshman forward with the University of Denver Pioneers of the Western Conference Hockey Association (WCHA) (see the Patrick Mullen Bio posted on the Denver website). Denver, of course, is the two-time defending national champion. The Pioneers are currently in second-place in the WCHA behind the University of Minnesota and Phil Kessel. Patrick is the son of Hall-of-Famer Joey Mullen. After playing for the Hornets Midget Majors and before attending the University of Denver, Patrick played for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, posting 37 points on 14 goals and 23 assists during the 2004-05 season.
Christian Hanson is a freshman center at Notre Dame of the CCHA (see the Christian Hanson Bio posted on the Notre Dame website). Christian is the son of Dave Hanson, Head Coach of the Hornets' 1991 team. After playing five seasons with the Hornets and before joining Notre Dame, Christian played for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. Christian was an assistant captain with the Storm in 2004-05 and was the team's leading scorer with 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points. Christian received the USHL's presigious Curt Hammer Award, presented annually to the league's "most gentlemanly player who embodies what the USHL stands for on and off the ice." Christian was ranked 66th in NHL Central Scouting's final ratings going into the NHL's 2005 entry draft.
Nate Guenin is a senior defenseman at Ohio State of the CCHA. Nate is the Captain of the team and, remarkably, is the third Hornets alum in recent years to captain the Buckeyes (see the Nate Guenin Bio on the Ohio State website). Ohio State will face Ferris State in the first round of the CCHA playoffs that begin this weekend. Nate was a fourth-round draft pick of the New York Rangers in the 2002 NHL entry draft. Last season, as a junior at Ohio State, Nate was a second-team All-CCHA selection, was a finalist for the CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman award, and was recognized as OSU's CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. After playing for the Hornets and before attending Ohio State, Nate played two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL.
Other active collegiate players include Matt Clackson at Western Michigan, Sean Berkstresser, Jace Buzek and Eric Trax at Robert Morris, Lou Garritan at Bemidji State, Bernie Chmiel at Sacred Heart, Denis Kirstein at Mercyhurst, Matt Schwartz at Bentley, and Randy Bauer at Utica.
Juniors
Juniors
Christian Minella, a forward with the Sioux City Muskateers of the USHL, is having a great season and was named Offensive Player of the Week for the week of January 30, 2006. See http://www.ushl.com/awards/potw.cfm.
Chris Clackson, a forward with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, was recognized as USHL Offensive Player of the Week for the week of January 2, 2006. See http://www.ushl.com/awards/potw.cfm. Chris has committed to Western Michigan University for next season.
Shaun Williams is the No. 1 goalie for the Chicago Steel . Shaun has committed to Union College , where Hornets alum Kris Mayotte is the No. 1 goalie and will graduate this year (see above).
Dennis Urban, Matt Quigley and Bryce Merriam are teammates and are having fine seasons with the Mahoning Valley Phantoms of the NAHL. Bryce is one of leading goalies in the league with a goals-against average of 3.10 and a save percentage of .908.
Various Hornets alums are having successful seasons with EJHL teams, including: Nick DeCroo of the Boston Jr. Bruins , Mark Persic of the Boston Harbor Wolves , and Dane Hetland and Alex Wright of the Baystate Breakers . As mentioned above, Dane has committed to D-1 powerhouse Miami University for next season and is the second-leading scorer with Baystate.
Tryouts - Come Join Us !
Tryout dates for next season have been finalized and are posted on the Hornets website. See http://www.pittsburghhornets.com/html/tryouts.php.
Best of luck to everyone as we approach the end of the season for some of our teams, and as the MMs, 16Us, 91s and 93s prepare for states, districts and nationals. Last season we were the only organization in the U.S. to send three teams to Tier I nationals, and it would be great to see all four of our tournament-eligible teams advancing to nationals this season! Thanks for your cooperation and support, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about the organization (412-559-1551; mbetts@bettslaw.com).
Mike Betts
President
Tryouts - Come Join Us !
Tryout dates for next season have been finalized and are posted on the Hornets website. See http://www.pittsburghhornets.com/html/tryouts.php.
Best of luck to everyone as we approach the end of the season for some of our teams, and as the MMs, 16Us, 91s and 93s prepare for states, districts and nationals. Last season we were the only organization in the U.S. to send three teams to Tier I nationals, and it would be great to see all four of our tournament-eligible teams advancing to nationals this season! Thanks for your cooperation and support, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about the organization (412-559-1551; mbetts@bettslaw.com).
Mike Betts
President
posted by Pittsburgh Hornets U18 Team @ 11:53 AM
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