Pittsburgh Hornet Midgets and U16 Advance to USA Hockey Tier 1 Quarterfinals !

The Pittsburgh Hornets' Tim Hall plays the puck on Wednesday in Rochester, N.Y.

MARCH 31, 2006 UPDATE FROM ROCHESTER NEW YORK, HOME OF THE TIER 1 NATIONAL USA HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS - The good news today is that both the Hornet Midget U18 and U16 advance to the quarter finals tomorrow. Though the midgets lost a tough one to the Chicago Chill 4-3 in overtime today, they still qualified for the quarter finals by virtue of their previous points totals in the tournament. It was an action packed game from the beginning, and the Chill, one of the top teams in the country, had to pull their goalie and get a goal on a stick deflection in front of the net to tie the game at 3-3 in regulation with less than 50 seconds to play.

"It obviously hurt to end up losing such a tough game in overtime" Assistant Coach Chris Stern said "But both Head Coach Joe Gaul and I know our boys are resilient, and will be fired up to compete hard tomorrow in the quarterfinal game."

There are lots of hero's so far for the Pittsburgh Hornets U18 team, including Rob Madore who is playing some great hockey. Rob is one of the best goaltenders in the Mid West Elite League, one of the best goaltenders in the country, and is currently sporting a torrid .936 save percentage at the Tier 1 National Tournament. Gerry Raymond is also on fire as the assist master with 6 assists in 3 games, tying him for 2nd place in the overall tournament scoring lead. Chris Cerutti is off to a good start as well with 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in the first 3 games.

The U16 also lost a tough one today to Team Illinois 4-3, but like the U18's, the U16's (by winning their first 2 games) have already secured a spot in the quarterfinals tomorrow against the California Wave at 10:30 am.

And on a final note, the Pittsburgh Hornets U14's ended their magical run this year by loosing to an undefeated Madison Capitals team by a 6-0 score. The U14's battled hard throughout the contest and though down 3-0 going into the third period came out buzzing around the Madison goal. But strong goaltending by Madison helped weather the initial storm as Madison picked up a few goals in the final minutes of play to seal their victory. It was tough on the boys to come within three (3) games of winning a national championship, but they have a lot to be proud of.

"Though we ended up on the loosing side of the ledger today, I couldn't be more proud of the boys on my team" said Head Coach Dave Hanson. Hanson continued "These boys overcame adversity throughout the year and bonded together as a team, like a band of brothers, playing some of their finest hockey down the stretch and into this championship tournament" Hanson continued "They are a special group of kids and we are all very proud of them".

Congratulations to all of the Hornet teams, the boys, the parents and the coaches for representing our organization so well at the USA Hockey Tier 1 Championships and best of luck tomorrow!

SOME MUSINGS AND OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE TIER 1 TOURNAMENT

• the volunteers from the rochester hockey community are doing a really, really great job running the tournament. Things seem to be running very smoothly and in an orderly fashion.
• some political intrigue going on at the U18 level, as word has it that the Greater Boston Bruins have forfeited a game. They beat the Chicago Chill in overtime 4-3, but word leaked out that the Bruins were using an ineligible player, apparently some kid that was rostered on both a midget team and a junior team after Jan. 1, verboten under the rules. Thus, the Bruins forfeited the game and the win was given to Chicago.
• it is very unseasonably warm in Rochester, with temperatures running into the 70's. Thus it is muggy in throughout the rink and yesterday it was actually quite warm on the ice as well .
• with all the heat and the humidity, suffice it to say the ice has not been the best, lots of ruts and cuts, with the ice surface looking like somebodys back that was scratched with a hacksaw.
• compounding matters, rumor has it that one of the zamboni's in use broke down. As such, the other zamboni driver has been going crazy cleaning ice from rink to rink on a constant basis.
• there was a skills competition last night for the U14 teams, with Tom Communale in goal and Matt White representing the Hornets at the competition, and both doing extremely well.
• All three Hornet teams are staying at the Crown Plaza in Rochester, a hotel that is a bit worn, but quite liveable, with 3 computers with free internet service off the lobby, a favorite with the kids (as well as some of the adults).
• Lots of the Hornet folks had lunch at a restaurant near the hotel called Dinosaur Bones featuring lots of pulled pork barbecue, ribs and the like. The reviews back on the restaurant have been generally good.
• It is really great seeing all of the Hornets in one hotel, its kind of like we have taken over the place, and really puts into perspective how great the accomplishment is for our organization to have 4 teams in the National Championships (with 3 of the teams at the same location).
• on a final note, we have never, ever seen so many major division 1 and junior scouts at one place, ever, scouting all of the teams, including the Hornets. Guess that's how it goes with Tier 1 exposure, and when you play for the Pittsburgh Hornets.

Midget Majors/Bantams Lose Tough Ones to Shattuck St. Marys

The Midget Majors ran into a hot goaltender today as Shattucks (former team of NHL Superstar Sidney Crosby) triumphed over the Pittsburgh Hornets by a score of 3-0. The play was fast and furious over 3 periods as the Shattucks team slow eeked out a lead and while the Hornets responded with a strong attack, they just couldn't solve the Shattucks goalie (and some most "interesting" officiating to say the least") as they ended up with their first loss of the tournament. They are still in good position to make the medal round with a victory tomorrow.

On the younger front, the Pittsburgh Hornets Bantam U14 suffered a heartbreaking defeat losing 3-2 with about 5 minutes left in overtime to the Shattuck St. Marys U14 Bantam team. The Hornets took an initial lead of 1-0 right off of the first shift as Brody Auckerman through hard work outskated the Shattucks defenseman into the zone, grabbing the puck and sliding a perfect pass to Andrew Ong for the first goal. The play went back and forth, up and down the ice for the next 2 periods as Shattucks came roaring back and built a 2-1 lead. But before the second period ended, Chris Cummings flattened a Shattucks puck carrier against the board, freeing the puck where a flying Drew Williams picked up the loose biscuit and swooped in taking a hard low shot on goal. The goalie made a fantastic save, kicking the puck right out onto the stick of Matt White for the tying goal.

The game went 2-2 into overtime when both teams had many chances with the Hornets hitting the post twice while Matt Skoff stoned Shattucks until finally the puck took an unlucky bounce in front of the Hornet net where a Shattucks player pounded the puck home for a Shattucks victory.

Some of the scouts watching the contest thought it was one of the best games of the tournament as a scout from the New York Rangers gave the boys a pep talk in the locker room after the game about continuing to play hard, support their teammates and strive for excellence both on and off the ice. The feeling amongst the coaches, the parents and the fans in the stands was that this was one heck of a game, and everyone was very proud of the U14 Bantam Hornets

And a tip of the hat to the Shattuck St. Marys teams that the Hornets played today. Though we competed hard today and came out of the day with the Hornet program winning once and loosing twice today to Shattucks, the Hornets are all about class, excellence and respect, both in our endeavors on and off the ice. And we respect that same approach when we compete against teams that share the same values that we do, like Shattucks St. Marys.

With a program that include coaches like Tom Ward, Murray Eaves and Director of Prospect Evaluations J.P. Parise, these guys are doing it right in developing top notch hockey players and student athletes. Their teams are very well coached and the players are all class kids (you can see it in their play and behavior on the ice) and an absolute pleasure to compete against. Good luck to Shattucks the rest of the tournament!

Tier 1 Flash News Alert - Pittsburgh Hornets U16 beat Shattuck St Marys

Word just in, the Pittsburgh Hornets U16 Tier 1AAA Hockey Team has just pounded Shattucks St. Marys 6-1 early today to continue its march toward the Tier 1 USA Hockey National Championships. Coach Mike Welch's boys were all over the Minnesota Prep School Powerhouse and won in fairly convincing fashion. More to follow later.......

Pittsburgh Hornets off to good start at Tier 1 Nationals

In the Tier-I Nationals in Rochester, there was lots of action yesterday as the Hornets had a very good showing in the tournament. The Major Midget Hornets defeated the Manchester Monarchs 8-0, behind two goals each from Chris Cerutti and Furman South. Bill Ozanick, Pat Gaul, Jeff Hannan and Jake DellaValle added goals for the Hornets, while Rob Madore made 24 saves for the shutout.

This was not only an impressive showing for the midgets, but it couldn't have come at a better time as our boys were heavily scouted during the game by the coaches at major division 1 colleges and junior teams. Wisconsin, Colorado College, Notre Dame, Brown, and Niagara College and Cansisus , for example were some of the big time college programs in attendance.

"We are proud of the efforts of the boys today" Coach Joe Gaul said "but we still have a long way to go in the tournament". Gaul continued "The competition at the Tier 1 level is fierce and will bring out the best in our players, but we prepare for this tournament every year by playing the best teams in the country throughout the season, at all levels in our program"

This approach of playing the best teams in the country throughout the year paid great dividends for the U16 team as they pounded the South Connecticut Stars yesterday by a score of 8-0. Parker Milner was brilliant in goal backstopping the team to this impressive victory as many of the u16 players caught the eye of the hoardes of division 1 scouts in attendance.

The fierce competion came to a head early yesterday morning as the Pittsburgh Hornets U14 Bantam AAA team came out of the gate at the first game in the entire tournament against a tough Seacoast Spartans team from New Hampshire. The Spartans got out early and held on to a tough 3-1 victory after the Hornets dominated play against the Spartans in the third period.

The teams all marched together for a night of fesitvities in the ESL Rink yesterday evening and heard an inspiring speech from Travis Roy, the hockey player injuried after 11 seconds of his first shift at Boston University. All of the Tier 1 atheletes left inspired for more hard nose play in todays games. More reports to follow later on the premier hockey tournament in the USA, the Tier 1 National Championships.

Pittsburgh Hornet Midget Majors Midam District Champions !!!

The MMs defeated the host team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, by a score of 5-3 in their first game. In their second game, the MMs faced the Indianapolis Jr. Ice and the game ended in a 3-3 tie after regulation and a ten-minute overtime. Going into the final game on Sunday, the MMs were tied in points and in the first tie breaker with Indy because Indy had defeated the Cleveland Barons by a score of 5-3 on Friday. The MMs crushed the Barons by a score of 8-0 and Indy beat the Blue Jackets by only one goal, resulting in the MMs winning the division.

Pittsburgh Hornets U14 Midam District Champions

The 91s beat the host Blue Jackets by a score of 6-0 in their first game. The only other participating Tier I team was the Barons, who had defeated the Blue Jackets by a score of 3-2, so the 91s' game against the Barons was the showdown to determine who would represent the Mid-Am District at Nationals.

And what a game! After two periods, the game was tied 0-0. Both teams scored in the third period, and the Barons scored again with 1:46 remaining to go ahead 2-1. The Hornets tied the game with 49 seconds on the clock to send the game into a ten-minute sudden death overtime period. Since the Hornets would win the tie-breaker if the game ended in a tie, the Barons pulled their goalie with 0:51 left in overtime and the Hornets cashed in with an empty-netter to secure a 3-2 win and the trip to Rochester for nationals. Congratulations Boys and good luck at Nationals.

Midgets deliver Mid-Am District Championship

On Saturday, despite a 46-26 shot advantage, the Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Majors ended their contest with the Indiana Ice tied 3-3. Indiana tied the game 3-3 on a power-play goal with 1 minute remaining in the third Period.

Entering Sunday, Indiana and the Hornets each were 1-0-1 and had identical Plus/Minus numbers which is the second tie-breaker under USA Hockey rules.

The Mid-AM Championship and the trip to the USA Hockey Tier 1 National Championship would come down to goal differential in Sunday's contests. The Hornets would face the Cleveland Barons who had beaten the Hornets 1-0 in their last contest. The Indiana Ice would face the Jr. Blue Jackets who they had beaten 8-2 and 5-2 during the season.


In the 11:oo tilt, the Hornets Furman South (1st of 3 goals) scored in the first shift of off the game and opened the flood gates which would result in a 8-0 win. Jake Dellavalle, Connor Blood, Billy Ozanick, Chris Cerutti (2) scored. Gerry Raymond and Pat Gaul had multiple assists in the contest as a balanced Hornet attack aided by the top rate Goaltending of Rob Madore took care of business.

In the 12:00 game, Indiana would need to win by 9 to capture the championship and receive the bid to the national championship. Indiana would win 6-5 but the Hornets, who intently watched the contest, are off to compete at the USA Hockey National Championships as Champions of the Mid-Am District.

Hornet Mania Sweeps Columbus as Pittsburgh Hornets Sweep Midam District Championships

Hornet Mania is sweeping Columbus today as the Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Major, U16 and 1991, and 1993 birth year teams each captured their respective Midam District Hockey Championships this morning. The U16 won its games in fairly convincing fashion while the Midget Majors pounded the Cleveland Barons this morning in a must-win game by a score of 8-0 to capture its championship.
The 1993's led by Coach Don Barber defeated Columbus 6-3 and the Cleveland Barons 5-1 to secure a trip to the Tier I, USA Hockey Pee Wee National Championships in Lawrence, Mass.

In perhaps the most exciting game of the entire Tier 1 tournament, the Pittsburgh Hornets 1991 Bantam AAA birth year team (Coached by Dave Hanson) battled back from a 2-1 deficit to tie a gritty Cleveland Barons team at 2-2 with 46 seconds left in regulation (with the goalie pulled) then finished off the Barons by scoring with 56 seconds left in overtime as the Pittsburgh Hornets 1991 Bantam Hockey team clinched its USA Hockey Midam Tier 1 District Championship. Adding further to the success, the 1993 Pittsburgh Hornets also won their playdowns today as well emerging as Tier 1 District Champions at the Pee Wee level.

In summary, and this may be an unprecedented achievement, the Pittsburgh Hornets will now be sending 4 teams to the USA Hockey National Championships. More details on the games played today to follow later. Congratulations to all of the Pittsburgh Hornet Hockey teams on their outstanding achievements today and carrying on the tradition of the Pittsburgh Hornets Hockey Association as one of the top amateur hockey programs in the country and the top amateur hockey program in Western Pennsylvania.

Cramer scores twice in Indiana Ice victory.

Former Pittsburgh Hornet Ron Cramer score twice Friday evening in USHL action. Cramers two goals helped spark a 4-3 Indiana Ice victory over the Chicago Steel. Former Hornet Chris Clackson had an assist for the Steel to bring his season total to 48 points in 55 games (22 G/26 A).

Hornets drop Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets 5-3

The Midget Major Pittsburgh Hornets defeated the Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets 5-3 Friday in their opening Mid-Am District Championship contest. Andrew Blazek, Eric Windemueller, Billy Ozanick, Furman South, and Chris Cerutti scored for the Hornets. Next up..........Indiana Jr. Ice at 4:20 Saturday. In attendance for the tilt were Ohio State Buckeye Captain and former Hornet, Nate Guenin and Buckeye Assistant Coach Steve Brent.

In other action, the U-16 Hornets defeated Northern Kentucky 11-0 and the 1993 Hornets defeated the Jr. Blue Jackets 6-3. 1991 Hornets begin action Saturday.

Guenin receives post-season honors

Former Hornet defenseman Nate Guenin, of Ohio State, has received an Honorable Mention for the CCHA All-Conference team. Guenin, the Buckeye captain this season, earned conference accolades for the third time in his career. He was a second-team choice last season and an honorable-mention selection as a sophomore in 2004.

Nate ended this season with 11 assists and points while playing in all 39 games. Guenin, who also earned CCHA academic honors during his career, played in 151 games as a Buckeye, posting 47 assists and 53 points, as well as a +23 rating. He ends his career fifth in Buckeye history with 400 penalty minutes. He will now be available to sign with the New York Rangers, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2002.

While Nate Guenin leaves Ohio State after this season, another Western Pennsylvania player will be signing on to play there next season. Sergio Somma, who played with the ’87 Pittsburgh Hornets and then the Junior B Penguins, has committed to play for the Buckeyes.

Somma, a forward from New Kensington, has 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points in 55 games with the USHL Green Bay Gamblers this season. Former Hornet Nick Tabisz is a current teammate of Somma with Green Bay.

While with the Hornets, Somma was a frequent line mate of Dane Hetland, who has committed to Division 1 powerhouse Miami.

Mid-Am District Championships

Friday 3/17/2006 @ 3:20 pm Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets v. Pittsburgh Hornets (North 1)
Saturday 3/18/2006 @4:20 pm Indiana v. Pittsburgh Hornets (North 1)
Sunday 3/19/2006 @11:00 pm Pittsburgh Hornets v. Cleveland Barons (North 2)

Pittsburgh Hornets 1991 Bantam AAA Pennsylvania State Champions !

Congratulations go out from the Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Major team to our younger 1991 Bantam AAA hockey team which won the USA Hockey Pennsylvania State Championship this past weekend with a decisive 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Predators. You guys have worked so hard throughout the year and your victory was truly a team effort. We are very proud of you guys and congratulate you for carrying on the Pittsburgh Hornet tradition of success.

Players

Brody Aukerman, Eddie Barca, Tom Communale, Chris Cummings, Joshua Dudley, Adam Germeyer, Robert Himler, Beau Knupp, Andrew Ong, Michael Pateras, Cory Pelligreno, Kyle Shaffer, Mathew Skoff, E.J. Stepano, Eric Tkacik, Patrick Wey, Matt White, Drew Williams

Coaches - Dave Hanson, Dan Hestin, Bob Himler, Jamie Cummings

Way to go guys, and good luck in the District Playoffs !!

HORNETS SWEEP STATES

The Pittsburgh Hornets AAA Hockey program swept the Pennsylvania State Championships this past weekend at all 4 levels including:
Midget Major
U-16
Bantam
Pee-wee

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL 4 TEAMS AS THEY PREPARE FOR DISTRICTS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO TO COMPETE FOR A SPOT AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, MARCH 29, 2006 IN ROCHESTER, NY.

FLASH ALERT - PITTSBURGH HORNET NICK DECROO SIGNS WITH BENTLEY !!

The Pittsburgh Hornets uncomparable success at developing amateur hockey players continues as another former Hornet has accepted a scholarship to play D-1 hockey at Bentley College. Nick DeCroo, a 6"3', 215 lb.left winger from Freeport, will play next season at Bentley. He’ll join Matt Schwartz, another former Pittsburgh Hornet player, who played his freshman season there this season. DeCroo is currently playing for the Boston Junior Bruins in the Eastern Junior Hockey League. Bentley has an extremely good D-1 hockey program, excellent coaches and is a very fine school. Congratulations Nick on your success.

FLASH ALERT - Pittsburgh Hornets smother Predators 2-0 !

The Pittsburgh Hornets came out flying and smothered the Predators 2-0 this evening in winning this first game in the Western Pennsylvania District Playoffs. The Pittsburgh Hornets played their well coached, hard-hitting, fast skating style of play which has become the true trademark of Pittsburgh Hornet Hockey. The Pittsburgh Hornets lead most of the way on 2nd period power play goals scored by Furman South and Chris Cerrutti and the powerful Hornet team seemed to have the ice tilted toward their opponents throughout most of the game. The Pittsburgh Hornets outshot their opponent by a 35 -22 margin, the Hornet defenseman were inpenetrable, and Rob Madore exhibited his cat-like quickness and tough mental demeanor to shine again in goal. Way to go Hornets and best of luck for the remainder of the playoffs !!!

USA Hockey National Team invites Gaul

The Pittsburgh Hornets are pleased to announce that Patrick Gaul has been invited to the tryout camp for the USA Hockey National Team Developmental Program. Pat, a 1990 birth year, is one of 28 forwards from throughout the United States invited to the camp.

In 1996, USA Hockey launched a revolutionary new program called the National Team Development Program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. The goal of this 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 on high-caliber participation on the ice and creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.
With continued hopes of raising the quality of hockey in the United States, the National Team Development Program enters its ninth season in 2005-06. The program
continues to face stiff competition and high expectations as it has established itself as a top-notch training opportunity for young players.

Lewis, Reese share All-Ivy honors

Two former Hornet Defensemen have been named to the All-Ivy Team in college hockey. Dylan Reese of Harvard, and Grant Lewis, of Dartmouth were selected for the honors over the weekend. Reese led the Harvard defensemen in scoring with two goals and 11 assists, while Lewis had four goals and 10 assists. Lewis is also a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award awarded to the top player in college hockey. Reese was an NHL draft pick of the New York Rangers, while Lewis was a pick of the Atlanta Thrashers.

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

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

A number of Hornets alums are playing in the USHL, the NAHL and the EJHL. For a complete list of Hornets alumni who advanced to Major Junior or Junior A, see our Alumni List on the Hornets' website. (In addition to the junior players listed, most of the college players shown on the Alumni List also played in juniors, but are not listed again in the Juniors section.) Several highlights --

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

Dynamic Defensemen Do It Again. Hornet Alumni Dylan Reese and Grant Lewis named First Team All Ivy !

! Wow !

The Pittsburgh Hornets are so very proud to announce that former Hornets Dylan Reese of Harvard and Grant Lewis of Dartmouth have each been named as First Team members of the All Ivy Team.

Dylan is currently a junior at Harvard and is tied for the scoring lead among Crimson defensemen with 13 points on two goals and 11 assists. He is a key cog in a defensive unit that allows only 2.48 goals per game to rank third in the ECAC Hockey League and 15th nationally. A native of Pittsburgh, Reese has a pair of two-assist games, the 2-2 tie with Boston University Nov. 22 and the 5-4 overtime win against Princeton Feb. 10.


Grant has had a wonderful junior year as well finishing the regular season with four goals and 10 assists while anchoring the Big Green defense. He was honorable mention All-Ivy last season and was a first and rookie team honoree as a freshman.

More impressively, Grant Lewis is currently a candidate in the preliminary voting for the Hobey Baker Award given to the top collegiate hockey player in the country. We would encourage everyone to go to the Dartmouth Website and check out the fine season Grant is currently having, then go to the Hobey Baker website, register, and cast your vote for Grant!

THE CLOCK IS NOW TICKING !!

Please everybody, note that the voting for the Hobey Baker Award ends this weekend,

Sunday March 5, 2006

so we encourage everyone to get on their computers and

CAST YOUR VOTE NOW FOR

GRANT LEWIS

FOR THE HOBEY BAKER AWARD

Congratulations again to both Dylan and Grant on your current collegiate hockey successes. You are both great kids and great role models for all amateur hockey players in Western Pennsylvania. Keep up the good work !!!

Pittsburgh Hornet Alumni Kris Mayotte Sets Union Win Record

Senior goaltender Kris Mayotte has done it again. Kris has been responsible for leading the way for most of the season for the Flying Dutchman and word has just arrivd that Kris has set single-season school records in several categories but the most important is wins. His 16 victories are the best in Union history and Mayotte has a 7-3 record in one-goal games this year."Kris has definitely been our rock" Coach Nate Leaman said. Way to go Kris on your fine collegiate career at Union College.