#theUniversityofNewHampshire

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KEELEY: MARINERS RE-SIGN RICH BOYD

Former UNH defenseman played two games for Maine last season BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – June 27, 2019 – The Mariners announced the signing of the former University of New Hampshire defenseman Rich Boyd on Thursday. Boyd had two separate stints with the Mariners toward the end of the 2018-19 season, after finishing his college career with UNH. Boyd, who just turned 24 in early June, is a native of Fort Myers, FL. He attended Cushing Academy (Ashburnham, MA) from 2010-2014, finishing strong with 40 points in 32 games in 13-14, and earning First Team All-New England honors. At the University of New Hampshire, Boyd was more of a shutdown defenseman, only putting up 21 points in 145 career games in a five-season span. In 2017-18, he was named the “Most Improved Player” on the Wildcats. In his senior season of 2018-19, he was third on the team in shot blocks, with 33, and tops on the team in +/- rating at a +4. Boyd initially signed with the Mariners on March 23rd and made his debut one week later on March 30th at Adirondack. He was released by the Mariners the following day but signed another deal on April 7th to appear in the final game of the regular season against the Newfoundland Growlers. Boyd had no points in either game, with two shots and two penalty minutes. “Being in Maine at the end of the season was a great experience and gave me a great idea of what the pace of the league was like,” Boyd said. “I’m excited to get back for the 19-20 season and am looking forward to a great season from the team.” The Mariners 2019-20 roster is up to eight players (five forwards, three defensemen), with Sunday marking the qualifying offer deadline. Teams are permitted to issue qualifying offers to up to eight players to retain their rights beyond the start of the free agency period, which is July 1st. The second season of Maine Mariners ECHL hockey kicks off October 11th at home when the Adirondack Thunder visit the Cross Insurance Arena for a 7:15 PM faceoff. Full and half season plans along with 12-game mini-plans and group tickets are on sale now by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. Single game tickets will go on sale on September 16th. Read the full article

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CANTLON: COLLEGE HOCKEY SIGNINGS AS OF MARCH 20TH

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The first Yale University player to sign is the swift-skating Joe Snively. He signs with the Washington Capitals. He also signed an ATO deal to play with the Hershey Bears (AHL). The Bears play in Hartford on April 12, the Wolf Pack’s regular season home finale. Snively received a two-year, two-way deal paying $925K for play in the NHL and $70K in the AHL. He is an undrafted player, so according to the current CBA, he could be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t play 80 NHL games by the time he turns 25. He was born on New Years Day in 1996 which helps him contract-wise. With the lockout/work stoppage season expected in two years, nobody knows what the new CBA will look like. The first player to sign from the 50th state this year is Nikolas Koberstein, who heads from Alaska-Fairbanks to Kansas City (ECHL).  Johnny Kovacevic departs Merrimack (HE) for the Winnipeg Jets and signs an ATO deal to play in Manitoba. Nick Boca left Michigan (Big 10) and signed with Iowa (AHL). Adam Dauda leaves Colgate (ECACHL) for Newfoundland (ECHL). Joining him in the trek to St. John’s is Josh Lammon from Mercyhurst (AHA). Ryan Walker of Union College (ECACHL) signs with Binghamton. Besides Hartford signing of Ryan Dmowski, UMASS-Lowell (HE) sees Nick Masters sign with the Maine Mariners, the Wolf Pack's ECHL affiliate. Johnny Coughlin of Holy Cross (AHA) also signs with Maine (ECHL). Matthew Whittaker heads from Mercyhurst (AHA) to Florida (ECHL). Drew Callin of Bentley University (AHA) has a short ride to Worcester (ECHL), and Felix Chamberlain of Canisius College (AHA) heads to Toledo (ECHL). Five players from the University of Maine Black Bears (HE) signed professional deals. Chase Pearson inks an ATO deal with Grand Rapids. Brady Keeper puts his name to contract with Florida and Sam Becker with Reading (ECHL). Rob Michel signs with Lehigh Valley and Brendan Robbins also will join Maine (ECHL). Matt Robson doesn’t have to go far after leaving the University of Minnesota (Big 10) and signs with the Minnesota Wild. Fellow Golden Gophers Tommy Novak heads to Milwaukee and Eric Schierhorn to Adirondack (ECHL). Troy Loggins of Northern Michigan (NCHC) heads to Grand Rapids while his teammate, Adam Rockwood, goes to Springfield (AHL). Jordan Uhelski of Miami (OH) and (NCHC) signs with Norfolk (ECHL) and teammate Grant Hutton signs an ATO deal with Bridgeport. Hayden Shaw of North Dakota (NCHC) heads to Jacksonville (ECHL). Ryan Galt of Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC) goes to Utah (ECHL) and Peter Tischke Wisconsin (Big 10) signs with Colorado (AHL). Dallas signed a slew of players including Joe Ceconnis (Michigan-Big 10), Rhett Gardner (North Dakota-NCHC), Josh Melnick, Miami (OH) (NCHC) and Diego Cuglietta (Lake Superior St.-NCHC). All were assigned to Texas (AHL) on ATO deals. Three players from the Division III ranks have signed contracts. Mitch Hall of Hamline University (MIAC) signs with Norfolk (ECHL). Tyler Andrews of St. Norbert (NCHA) inks with Atlanta (ECHL) and joining him there is Brady Fluerent from the University of New England (CCC). The total is now 65 Division I players who have signed pro deals and including eight Division III players and one player to Europe. It's a total of 74 players who have signed pro deals after their collegiate seasons have ended so far. The first coaching dismissal has occurred as the Miami (OH) RedHawks (NCHC) relieved head coach, Enrico Blasi. He leaves the RedHawks after 20 years at his alma mater. His career record was 398-311-76 and includes five CCHA conference titles, 10 NCAA tournaments, and one Frozen Four appearances. Since they went into a new conference and developed the NCHC six years ago, they have won just one conference title and not been making NCAA’s and that was cited as one of the reasons for his dismissal. The school said a national search for a new head coach will commence immediately. The UCONN Huskies got their first in-state recruit as a Hockey East program. Tabor Heaslip of Ft. Worth, TX, of Avon Old Farms, makes an oral commit, to the Huskies for 2020-21. He is part of an ever-large growing list of Texas-born and trained players playing at the junior and collegiate level in North America. Heaslip, also came through the Dallas Stars junior program. He had made the Amarillo Bulls (NAHL) back in summer training camp but elected to return to to the Winged Beavers program. His twin sister Teagan also plays hockey in Texas. She is heading to Brown University (ECACHL-W) in two years. Heaslip’s teammate, John Turner of Avon Old Farms (CTPREP), makes a commit to the University of New Hampshire (HE) in 2021-22. Ex-Pack, Akim Aliu, has been loaned from Orlando (ECHL) to Tucson making it the 29th city of his junior and pro career. Ex-Sound Tiger, Dyson Steven Stevenson, is loaned to Utica by Wichita (ECHL). Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS ACQUIRE CAMMARATA FROM WICHITA

Mariners acquire Cammarata, Salvaggio called up and loaned to Wichita BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – February 19, 2019 – The Maine Mariners announced the acquisition of forward Taylor Cammarata from the Wichita Thunder on Tuesday. In a corresponding move, Jason Salvaggio was called up to AHL Hartford and loaned to Wichita. Cammarata is a 23-year-old forward from Plymouth, MN who played four years at the University of Minnesota following a two-year USHL career. In his final year of Juniors, he led the USHL in scoring, with 93 points in 59 games for the Waterloo Black Hawks. In his first two seasons with the Golden Gophers, Cammarata put up identical 27 point campaigns, finishing second on the team with 24 assists as a Sophomore. In 2013, Cammarata was selected by the New York Islanders in the 3rd round of the NHL Draft: 76th overall. In the fall of 2017, following his graduation from Minnesota, Cammarata signed his first pro deal with the South Carolina Stingrays. In 42 games last season, he scored 12 goals, along with 19 assists in 49 games. The 5’7, 161-pound forward began this season in Norfolk and was traded to Wichita in January. Between the two teams, he has 14 goals and 20 assists in 51 games. Forward Jason Salvaggio was called up to AHL Hartford and loaned to Wichita. Salvaggio has 10 goals and 16 assists in 42 games with Maine this season, including scoring the first goal in franchise history on October 13th against the Adirondack Thunder. Salvaggio signed with the Wolf Pack last April after finishing his college career at the University of New Hampshire. The Mariners are in the midst of a five-game road trip, playing tomorrow night in Reading at 7:00 PM. They will then visit Adirondack and Manchester over the weekend. The next home game is Sunday, February 24th at 3:00 PM against the Worcester Railers. A full team autograph session will follow the game. Single game tickets can be purchased at MarinersofMaine.com or by visiting or calling the Trusted Choice Box Office: 207-775-3458. Read the full article

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CANTLON: HUSKIES LOSE TO ENGINEERS, 5-2

By Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - Avon's Chase Zieky had three points propelling RPI to a 5-2 non-conference win over the UCONN Huskies before 3,165 fans at the XL Center on Wednesday night. The UCONN record drops to 7-14-1 and 2-10-1 in HEA). They will play home next Friday against The University of New Hampshire. RPI's record improves to 7-15-0 overall and 4-7-0 in the ECAC. “It was a disappointing loss for us. Coming off a game against Merrimack, where we didn’t play well at all structurally, I thought we got better structurally as the game went along. We didn’t give up a lot of odd-man rushes like we did in Merrimack, where there were six or seven. From that standpoint, I thought we were better. The game came down to special teams. The Engineers got two power-play goals, but five-on-five it was a pretty even game. We just have to get better as a team; coach better, and play better, and find a rhythm. I don’t think we found a rhythm yet as a club. With 12 games left, we gotta find a way to do that pretty soon,” Huskies head coach Mike Cavanaugh remarked. The Huskies started the third period having not won in ten tries this season when trailing after two periods. They almost saw RPI make it a three-goal lead early. Ottoville Leppanen of RPI, saw his shot hit the pipe at 1:07. The red light came on, but neither referee Scott Hansen or Jay Durfee signaled a goal. Before a whistle could be blown, UConn called for a review and it narrowed the lead to one goal. UConn team captain, Miles Gendron was in the lower right wing corner and Karl El-Mir's hard work allowed him to turn and fire it quickly on a sharp angle. The shot evaded the padding of RPI goalie, Owen Savory, at 2:15. The goal momentarily gave the Huskies a brief hope they could make a comeback. The goal extended El-mir's point-scoring streak to a season-high six games. The Huskies had a chance to tie it as Ruslan Iskharov had his best offensive opportunity of the game with a backhander off the right-wing that was denied, but shortly thereafter, RPI reestablished their two-goal lead. Zieky, an Avon product who played at Avon Old Farms, and who had 30-plus family and friends rooting for him, nailed his third point of the night with a cross-ice pass from high in the left wing circle. The pass found Will Reilly, who had inside position on Evan Wisocky on the right wing. He beat Tomas Vomacka who was over too far to his short-side at 10:44. The goal made it a 4-2 RPI lead. The Huskies outshot RPI, 33-28, but they missed the net far too often. Their big guns, Iskharov and Payusov, had just three shots between them. “I would like more shots from everybody," Cavanaugh said. In the second period, UCONN came out and put strong offensive zone pressure on RPI and got three shots on the first 1:30. The Huskies just couldn’t sustain any long offensive zone cycles or play with a sense of urgency as a team with its back up against the wall. This team needs to get on a winning streak as it embarks in playing ten conference games over the next six weeks. “I don’t know if we played with enough urgency in the first period,“ as Cavanaugh pondered his words carefully as he answered. “In the second period, we came back after the two powerplay goals and in the third period, we played desperately.  But you have to play desperate from the start the way the season is going. If we don’t play desperate now, we won’t make the playoffs,” said Cavanaugh. This season, Hockey East will have the top eight make it to the post-season and the bottom three, they will go home. RPI was able to establish a two-goal lead off the power play. Ishkarov took a penalty and is known for his speed, but used it poorly when he chased down a player from behind and earned a tripping call in the UCONN defensive end of the ice. Zieky then got his second goal of the night sneaking behind two UCONN players and converting a perfect pass from behind the net from Leppanen, the team's Finnish freshmen, at 12:11. “(It) felt good putting it in the net, and it was good for us to get some power-play goals. Today was our best full-game we've played to date,” remarked the PC transfer playing in his seventh game since he became NCAA eligible. “ I had all my little cousins here tonight. They made signs for me. It was pretty cool,” Zieky said. The Huskies responded quickly. Brian Rigali picked up a rebound from his first shot that came on the left wing. He snapped it into the open left side at 13:38. The play was set up by Max Kalter, who had retrieved the puck in the right-wing corner with a backhand pass to Rigali. Another poorly timed penalty allowed RPI to retake a two-goal lead. Gendron got caught with the extra swat at center ice and that let the Engineers go on to score in the last minute of regulation. RPI’s Patrick Polino skated around the net and spotted the right-handed, Todd Burgess, all alone in the left wing circle. Burgess snapped a shot over Vomacka's glove hand into the upper left-hand corner with 44.2 seconds left and a 3-1 lead, giving RPI the game's momentum. The Huskies season-long inconsistency put them in a box forcing them to work their way out of it in order to make the Hockey East playoffs, and their first-period play reflected that. UConn's center-ice puck management was not up to par as they made too many neutral zone turnovers. RPI connected off their first prime chance for the lone goal of the period. “I thought in the first we were holding on to the puck too long. We were not moving the puck quick enough, but I thought it got better as the game went along,” said Cavanaugh. RPI had a whole different perspective on puck amangement. “Everybody wants to handle the puck and play offense, but we have success when we defend quickly and we were committed to that tonight,” RPI head coach Dave Smith said. “Across the board, UCONN had a couple of pushes. We managed the puck and controlled the ice very well. When they pushed, we fought back very well.” Brady Wiffen had a quality chance off a turnover and the Engineers kept the puck in the zone. RPI’s fired another shot on goal from the left side by Jake Johnson. Vomacka made the save, but the rebound went right to Zieky who flicked it over the Huskies' netminder for his second goal in seven games at 5:40 to give RPI the 1-0 lead. “We talk before every game about getting the lead and we did tonight,” Zieky said. “Its been great for us. We have done that in the last three road games.” UCONN didn’t get a quality shot on goal until El-Mir's shot at 10:46. Again, a neutral zone gaffe allowed RPI defenseman Kyle Hallbauer to strip the biscuit from the much taller Ben Freeman. Hallbauer used the backhand with body position, but Vomacka made the save. RPI had 13 shots in total for the period and a poorly thought-out blind back pass by Ishkarov and RPI’s Jakub Lacka, who was cut off with effective backchecking, kept the puck in the UCONN end of the ice give RPI a chance at some quality shot taking. The Huskies only other quality shot gave from Brian Freeman with 2:09 left but RPI’S Owen Savory made the save. NOTES: Several Huskies have been offensively challenged for about the past month. Sasha Payusov now has three goals in 14 games. The NY Islanders' second-round draft pick, Ruslan Ishkatov, has one goal in his last 14 games and just four points. On the plus side for UConn, senior Karl El-Mir (Montreal, QC) has eight points in his last 11 games while freshmen, Jachym Kondelik, has three points in three games since returning from the World Junior Championship tourney in Vancouver where he played for the Czech Republic. He had his mini-point streak ended. The Huskies', Johnny Evans, remains out with an upper-body injury. No date for his return has been set. Meanwhile, Justin Howell’s season is over as he's having knee surgery. UConn goalie, Tomas Vomacka, played and saw his first game action in over a month since representing the Czech Republic in the World Junior A tournament in Bonnyville, AB. Vomacka was in the net when Canada West's entry knocked off the Czechs 3-1. He made 37 stops at the RJ Lalonde Arena. Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS SIGN FORMER UNH FORWARD MCNICHOLAS

The former University of New Hampshire forward joins Mariners BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners PORTLAND, ME – November 1, 2018 – The Maine Mariners bolstered their offense on Thursday, signing the former University of New Hampshire forward Michael McNicholas. The 5’10, 174 pound center from Reno, Nevada played briefly in the ECHL with the Indy Fuel in 2017-18 and was playing professionally in Norway this season. McNicholas, 24 years old, was teammates with current Mariners Jason Salvaggio and John Furgele over his four years at the University of New Hampshire (2014-18). His best offensive season was his Junior year of 2016-17 when he posted 43 points in 37 games (13 goals, 30 assists). He led the Wildcats in scoring his Senior season, with five goals and 19 assists in 36 games. In March of 2018, he signed with the Indy Fuel and appeared in three games, registering one assist. This season, McNicholas was playing overseas in Norway with the Manglerud Star of GET-ligaen, the premier hockey league of the country. He scored two goals with seven assists in 15 games. The Mariners also added forward Shawn St. Amant yesterday, assigned by their AHL affiliate – the Hartford Wolf Pack. St. Amant was on the 2017 and 2018 Kelly Cup Championship-winning Colorado Eagles teams and has been a pro since 2016-17, despite being just 21 years old. He has played 69 career games in the AHL with San Antonio and Hartford, plus 46 in the ECHL with Colorado. With the Eagles, St. Amant was a big-time playoff performer, with 22 points in 36 postseason games. He had one assist in seven games with the Wolf Pack this season. With the additions of McNicholas, St. Amant, and Hayden Verbeek (assigned from AHL Laval earlier this week), the Mariners could have three new forwards in Friday’s lineup. The Mariners host the Reading Royals this Friday night, November 2nd at the Cross Insurance Arena at 7:30 PM. It’s “Hockey Fights Cancer” Night, presented by Holiday Inn By the Bay. It’s also a “1-2-3 Friday”: $1 hot dogs, $2 popcorn, and $3 Bud Lights through the start of the second period. Single game tickets are on sale now at MarinersOfMaine.com or by calling the Trusted Choice Box office at 207-775-3458. Read the full article