2012
USPHL FORMED
Junior Bruins are Founding Member of New League
MARLBORO, MA-The Junior Bruins are
proud to announce that they will be participating in the newly formed
United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) and will begin play during the 2013-2014 season.
The USEHL, which the U18 and U16′s currently are members of, will move over to this new league. Other
founding members of the league are the Jersey Hitmen, South Shore Kings and Islanders Hockey Club.
We will update this story in coming weeks.
2000 & 2001 Tryout/ID Skate for Europe
December 16th @ NESC
MARLBORO, MA-The Junior Bruins have plans to take a 2000 team to Bolzano, Italy and a 2001 te
am to Sweden/Finland in late April of 2013. There will be a tryout/identification skate for those interested in those teams on Sunday, December 16th at NESC in Marlboro, MA.
Those interested in playing with the 2000′s and 2001′s at other tournaments, including the Warrior Elite Series in Toronto (late May), Icebreaker (June @ NESC) and the Beantown NAPS (July @ NESC) are also encouraged to come to the session on the 16th.
Sunday, December 16
6:10-7:20
PM: 2001′s and WSI-Finland Identification tryout
7:30-8:30 PM: 2000′s and WSI-Italy Identification tryout
@ NESC-Marlboro, MA
Cost: $25/player
The following is a tentative schedule for the 2000 and 2001 Junior Bruins in 2013:
2001′s:
WSI-Sweden/Finland: April 27-May 4
Toronto Selects: May 24-26 @ Toronto
Icebreaker: June 21-23 @ NESC
Lobsterfest: July 5-7 @ Portland, ME
2000′s:
WSI-Italy April 27-May 4
Toronto Selects: May 24-26 @ Toronto
Icebreaker: June 21-23 @ NESC
Beantown NAPS: July 5-7 @ NESC
The B’s will use a fundraising program, similar to what the program does for the Brick team, so that families can raise money to help defray tuition and travel costs. In 2012 there were families who raised thousands of dollars that they were able to use towards travel. We will offer a similar program for those going to Europe so we hope that the potential cost of a trip to Europe will not dissuade you from coming to the ID skate if there is an interest in this incredible opportunity and experience.
2001 World Selects Invitational
The team will fly into Stockholm, Sweden and spend a few days training on ice as well as exploring one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The players, coaches, parents and family members will then cruise to Helsinki, Finland and play in the World Selects Invitational playing teams such as Ak Bars (Russia), CSKA (Moscow), Latvia Selects, St. Petersburg (Russia), Finland, Sweden, Dynamo (Moscow), Norway, White Bears (Moscow), ECS-Ontario and Pro Hockey.
In addition to the tournament there will be time to explore the city and see the sights. The team, parents and players will then fly our of Helsinki, Finland and return home.
“The 01 WSI trip lets the players and families visit two beautiful countries and cities and play a tournament that brings the top talent from Europe and Russia. There is no other event that lets our players see a tournament field that include the top teams from Europe and Russia. This
is a unique experience and getting to see both Sweden and Finland allows the players and families to experience two cultures, cities and countries that they may never get a chance to see,” Program Director Chris Masters commented.
2000 World Selects Invitational
The team will fly to Italy (most likely Milan) and then travel to Bolzano. This tournament will feature world class competition in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Bolzano is a city and the capital of South Tyrol, a province in northern Italy that has a strong agricultural background (wine, fruit and dairy).
The settlement was built by the Romans after the area’s conquest by general Nero in 15 BC. Bolzano has been an important trading point since its elevation to a town on June 24, 1190 by bishop Konrad of Trient, due to its location in between the two major cities of Venice and Augsburg. World famous Lake Como is just 100 miles from Bolzano so a quick trip to visit Lake Como or extending your trip to include additional sightseeing is an option as well.
The tournament field will include: CSKA, Czech Selects, AK BARS Siberia, HC Dynamo Moscow, Sweden Selects, Slacia Slovakia Selects, Finalnd Selects, Jungadler Manheim (Germany), Spartak-Moscow, Pro Hockey Canada, Tyrol Selects (Italy).
“Those who have been to Bolzano in the past can’t say enough good things about the trip, the people, the food, the hockey and the history and beauty of the region,” Masters continued. “We are excited to make the trip a reality and will begin with our ID skate on the 16th at NESC.”
To
the Top with a Bullet
ESHL Sits in 1st Place
MARLBORO, MA-The Junior Bruins ESHL team is off to a terrific start to their 2012-13 season. Through 13 league games
the team sits at 12-1, good for first place just in front of the rival Mass Maple Leafs.
Contributions have come from just about everyone on the roster with Corey Deres, Tyler Kirby, Mike Centerbar and Tucker Falk carrying the load offensively. Ben Gagnon has seen
a bulk of the work in net and has been solid.
The team has also tested itself against top competition outside the league posting quality wins against MET foes the Hartford Wolfpack and the Potomac Patriots from the Empire league. The Bruins also traveled to Connecticut to participate in the East Coast College Cup, a weekend that provided the team with great competition outside the ESHL and a quality scouting venue for players to showcase their abilities to college coaches.
From here the ESHL will skate in the Springfield PICS showcase this weekend then jump back into non-league play with a strong test at the Valley Warriors Thanksgiving tournament.
Cruising
Quick Start for Empire Team
MARLBORO, MA-The Empire team has gotten off to a fast start this season and that success continued over the past weekend
at the Beantown Fall Classic.
The Bruins sit at 18-5-0 overall and at 10-3 in Empire league play, they’re tied for 2nd in the North division. Forwards Vin D’Amato, Cam Cottam and Ryan O’Toole are pacing the offense all averaging over a point/game. On the backend the Bruins lead the Empire league with a 1.61GAA with blueliners Bryan Carter, Kyle Webb, Kyle Calrson, Matt Brett, Ben Piecz and Paul Martone all making steady contributions. Sam Dargene has seen the bulk of the work in net and has been rock solid posting an 11-2 record with 1.54GAA.
At the Fall Beantown over the weekend the Bruins would go 3-0 in round robin play with wins over the East Coast Militia, Carolina Hurricanes and Lower Austrian Stars. In Saturday’s playoff round the B’s posted a 2-0 win over the Texas Alliance and won a quarter-final rematch vs. Austria 1-0 with Marlboro native Kyle Griffin netting the lone goal late on the powerplay. In Sunday’s semi-final the Empire team jumped out to a commanding 3-0 lead and held on for a buy tadalafil online thrilling 3-2 win over a strong Hill Academy team. The all Bruins final went to the U18’s 2-0(en) but it was an excellent weekend for the team none the less.
Next up the B’s will head to Naples, Florida for the 1st annual Crocodile Cup. Quality league games are on the docket against the Florida Blades, South Shore Kings, Suffolk and Maksymum.
CHAMPS…Again!
U18′s Win Beantown for 2nd Straight Title
EXETER, NH-The Junior Bruins U18 team stayed hot plowing through as deep a tournament field as there
is winning their second straight tournament. Just two weeks ago it was the College Cup and now the Beantown. It took four playoff games to capture the crown at the Beantown Fall Classic and it brought the teams record to an impressive 26-6-5 and a #5 national ranking.
The team opened
with a 1-1 tie with the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday afternoon. Later that night, at Merrimack College, the B’s stingy defense continued to lead the team as they beat back a tough Compuware team, 2-1. Defensemen Ryan Blais and Mat Harris did the scoring in the 2-1 win and goalie James Broomfield was sharp in net.
Friday the black and gold had a single tilt that doubled as a USEHL league game as well with the Jersey Hitmen. The team got out to a fast start and were led by captain Hamilton Whyte’s two goal game in the 5-3 final.
The 2-0-1 round robin record earned them a #1 seed in their bracket and they drew the Boston Jr. Eagles. Once again the B’s team defense proved to be too much as the Eagles, primarily made up of Belmont Hill players, were shutout 1-0.
Up next in the quarterfinals was the nationally ranked Pittsburgh Pens Elite. With the game tied after regulation the teams headed into a 5 minute 4 on 4 OT session. Nothing was solved in the OT frame so they headed to double OT and 3-3 play. The game could’nt be decided so it was a best of five shootout that still had the game tied and it was sudden death shootout time. Jame Broomfield made the saves and John Picking scored the game winner sending the B’s onto the semi
finals Sunday morning
In the semi’s they drew the Neponset Valley river Rats, regarded as one of the top U18 teams in the country and the #1 seed at the Massachusetts State tournament just a few weeks away. The River Rats, like many of the teams the B’s U18 team has beat this year, are comprised of the elite prep school players from all over New England. The Rats are littered with players who have college commitments and they hold an age advantage on the younger U18 B’s.
Neponset got out to a 1-0 lead as the teams were feeling each other out in the early going. The momentum changed when Zach Malatesta caught a Rats forward coming across the tracks with head down and he thumped him good and from that point on the B’s picked up their play and scored the next two goals to pull off the upset and advance to the finals.
In the finals, Charlie Kelleher finsihed off a picture perfect power play goal that proved to be the game winner against the Junior Bruins (Empire) team. Whyte added an empty netter and McGrath picked up the shutout.
“It is a real tribute to the players that they have played so well, gelled so fast and had the success they have,” coach Chris Masters commented. “When playing so many of these split season prep school all star teams who are favorites to beat us in most cases and that we end up winning many more than we lose shows the value in the development these kids are getting and the talent they have. In many games we are playing teams with a handful of college committed players, most are all older than our guys and have big reputations. It really shows that the hard work the players put in all fall is paying off and they are developing at the rate they are. The winning is nice but it is really a by product of the work the kids put in.”
There is no let up in the B’s schedule as they head to Windy City for the Chicago Fury Invitational and then have the Mass State Tournament the following weekend.
FAST START
U18′s Crack Top 5
MARLBORO, MA-When the Bruins added new teams to the program this season it caused some existing teams to be repositioned. One of
those teams was the group led by coach Chris Masters.
That team, formerly the Junior Bruins (Empire), is now the program’s U18 team competing in the USEHL and playing a more traditional U18 schedule. There were a lot of question marks heading into the season, as there always is. Each season there is substantial turnover with players graduating to the programs EJHL team and this past year was no exception.
Who would fill the holes in the lineup with the departure of a couple of 100 point scorers, a starting goalie and key defensemen? With a tougher schedule lying ahead, a new league and the prospect of entering the state tournament for the first time there was some uncertainty as to how quickly the team would come together and what results that would produce.
Added to that the Bruins boast one of, if not the youngest, U18 teams in the country. Traditional U18 teams are 1994′s and 1995 birth years. The B’s? There are no 1994′s, so the team could be considered a U17 team. The U18′s have an equal balance of 1995′s and 1996′s on the team in addition to a 1997. With the makeup of the team comprised of players that young the entire team is eligible to return and play U18 again next year. There is not a team in the country, certainly not one ranked as high as the B’s, that could boast the same.
In the teams first 28 games they have raced out to a 19-5-4 record and that is good enough for a top 5 ranking. The website mrhockeyrankings.com uses a mathematical formula that takes into account strength of schedule, won/loss record, etc. While not a perfect system it is regarded as the most accurate there is.
“What is most impressive to me is how we are winning,” coach Masters commented. “Virtually every game we play we are younger, smaller and less experienced than the other team so we can’t afford to be sloppy defensively, get pushed around and we need to make sure that we control the tempo of the game and have the puck on our stick a lot.”
“The players have done a great job of playing well in our own end, blocking shots and using our speed to transition up ice and play in their end. This may also be as hard working a team as we have had. They are relentless on the puck, on the back check and it makes them tough to play against. It also doesn’t hurt that we may have as strong a goalie tandem since the duo of Connor Knapp (Miami-Ohio) and Clay Witt (Northeastern) played for us.”
The team has averaged scoring only 3.39 goals per game but have only given up only 42 goals in their 28 games good for a miniscule 1.50 goals against average. That includes 9 shutouts and 5 other games only giving up one goal. The most amazing stat in their first 28 games is that they have never given up more than 3 goals. In the teams five losses, three were in over time and the other two were essentially one losses (both 3-1 scores but the third goal in each game was an empty netter).
Last week the B’s were named as the #3 seed in the state tournament (November 9-11 @ Foxboro) which says a lot for the youngest team entered. The team, in just seven short weeks since the start of the season has come a long way. The team got out to a 4-3-2 start but has since gone 13-3-1. “We see this each year with our team. You take young, talented players, push them and they
will get better in a hurry. We can see the teams development and, more importantly, the individual development of the players. I am excited at what the team and players will look like at the end of the season.”
“Playing against talented older teams and players game in and game out speaks volumes for the talent level of our team and players as well as their competitive intensity. They are outworking and beating teams that they are underdogs, and sometimes significant underdogs, against,” coach Dan Tatar commented.
The U18′s have a busy four weeks ahead of them and their schedule doesn’t let up. Next weekend is the CT. Prep Showcase followed by the Beantown Fall Classic, then at the Chicago Fury tournament and finally the Massachusetts State Championships.
College Cup Champs!!!
U18′s Tear Through Deep Field
MARLBORO, MA-The Junior Bruins U18 team is off to a scorching start this season and they continued their i
mpressive play with a three win day on Sunday to take down the 2012 College Cup championship.
The team opened the weekend with its worst performance to date but still managed to
beat the NY Saints by a 6-3 margin. They bounced back Saturday morning at Wesleyan University with a 2-0 shutout of the Boston Advantage. It was a hard fought, physical game and the Bruins air tight defense and timely scoring (goals from Tucker Cobb and Chris Walsh) were the difference. Saturday night it was a match up of teams both ranked in the top 10 nationally. The #9 ranked CT. Wolfpack Elite and #5 ranked B’s met at Yale University and played to a 3-3 tie. The B’s look to have had the game won but squandered a 3-2 lead with just minutes to play. That still earned them a #1 seed and a quarterfinal game with a familiar opponent.
The NJ Freeze, who the B’s beat just a week ago in New Jersey by an 8-3 score, are the fall team of the nationally ranked high school power Delbarton (NJ). For the second time in a week the B’s were too much for them scoring a 4-0 win and moving onto the semi finals and a rematch with the Wolfpack.
In the semi finals the Bruins raced out to a 3-0 lead and looked to have the game won but the Wolfpack came storming back and made it 3-3 with just minutes to go. Shortly thereafter the Bruins got
the game winning goal with just 2:40 to play and moved onto the finals. In the game, defenseman Zach Malatesta picked up three goals to lead the way offensively.
The finals brought a second Wolfpack team and another great defensive effort by the black and gold leading to a 3-1 win. Cobb, Bryan Lemos and Hamilton Whyte scored for the Bruins while rearguards Malatesta, Blais, Mat Harris, Nick Centauro, Tucker White, Chris Walsh and Teddy Marshall were a force all game (and weekend).
“The team played great all weekend,” coach Dan Tatar commented. “In a few of these games we are playing prep school all star teams and still coming out on top. It says a lot for the talent and work ethic of the players. To see where our team is at today as compared to the beginning of the season is remarkable.”
Sam-Colangelo-4.jpg”>
MARLBORO, MA-The Junior Bruins are proud to announce that 2001 Junior Bruins AAA team forward Sam Colangelo and family are the recipients of the 2012 Thomas C. Federico Memorial Award.
The Federico Memorial Award goes to the player and family who best represent on ice success as well as the character, perspective and attitude that the Federico family had.
Sam, who played on our Bruins first ever Brick team a year ago, has been with the B’s since he was seven years old. He originally came to the team playing up a year with the 2000′s at the Icebreaker tournament. The following year, when we fielded our first 2001 team, he was one of the first players selected and has been with the team ever since.
He had a great season with the ’01′s this year. To start with the 2001′s had a season for the ages and rivaled what the 1997 Junior Bruins team used to do every spring/summer season. The team went to five tournaments and posted a remarkable 24-3-1 record. In those five tournaments the team went to the finals of every one, winning four of them. They started the year at the Toronto Invitational and lost to the 2011 Brick champs, the Toronto Bulldogs, in the championship game. Earlier in the tournament the two teams played to a 4-4 tie and the B’s avenged a round robin loss to Team THAAAQ beating them in the quarterfinals 5-0.
The team then traveled to Montreal for the Meltdown tournament and started a run of winning four straight tournaments. The field in Montreal is as deep as there is and the B’s went 5-0-1 and beat the Petit Blizzard team
3-0 in the finals. In round robin play, they tied the Lightning 2-2 and then saw them again in the semi finals and beat them in a summer season classic, 5-4 in over time.
It was on to the Skater’s Edge, Icebreaker and Lobsterfest from there and the team put together a 15-1-1 en route to three more titles.
Through all those five tournaments, Colangelo was a key to the teams on ice success. Like Danny Federico, Colangelo, no matter what his role was on the team and what position he was asked to play (center or wing), he gave 100%, put the team first and had a great attitude.
“Sam is the type of player we love to have in our program and I think Tom and the Federico family would be proud to see the first recipient of the award named in his honor go to a player like this. Not only is he an elite player at his age level but he has the attitude and work ethic that we want in players wearing the Junior Bruins jersey,” AAA team Director Chris Masters commented.
In addition, Sam’s parents, Mark and Karen, exemplify the character that Tom and Mary represented. It is rare to have a parent go out of his way to help other players gain entry into our program for fear that they may take their kids spot in subsequent tournaments or years. Not the case with Mark. He has consistently called our offices to let us know about a player who would be a fit for our program and thought deserved a chance to play with us. He would not only do that for players at the 2001 age group but for players he knew about at other age groups as well.
“Mark has been a great resource for us and there are dozens of players and families, at various age groups, who can thank him for helping get them involved with us,” Masters continued. “It is rare to get a call, unsolicited, from a parent about a player we should be on and invite to play on our team. The fear is that this new player, that we don’t know about, will play more than their son. Mark has, for years now, introduced us to players who end up on our teams and in some cases, play over his own son. It is refreshing to see that attitude and it is something that Tom Federico would do as well.”
The Colangelo’s always had a smile on their faces at the rink and always had a good word to say about other kids on the team. Even if Sam was sat late in games or was not on the power play or played in a key situation in a given game there was never an eye lash batted by Mark or Karen.
That is the character, perspective and attitude that Tom and Mary had and Sam represents the attitude, work ethic, team first attitude and on ice performance that Danny represented.
The Federico Memorial Award will be presented to Sam and his family at the Junior Bruins
banquet in March. Congratulations to Sam and his family!
Coaching Positions Open
Assistant Coaches for U18 & U16 Teams Open
MARLBORO, MA-Ther Junior Bruins have openings at the following positions. If interested, please email CHRIS MASTERS with a resume or brief description of your playing and coaching background.
With the departure of Craig Falite taking over the Hong Kong Typhoon we are shuffling some coaching positions around and that has created some openings.
Junior Bruins (U18)
- Assistant coach working with head coach Chris Masters and Assistant Coach Dan Tatar
- Full season team
Junior Bruins (U16)
- Assistant coach working with
head coach Topher Bevis and assistant coach Nevin Hamilton
- Full season team
Little Bruins
- Assistant coach working with head coach Andy Powers
- split season team
B’S LAND IN CHINA…AGAIN
Falite Hired to Run Hong Kong Typoon
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is headed back there, for a longer stay, as Craig Falite has been hired as the Program Director for the Hong Kong Typhoon.
Falite, who has been with the Bruins in a full time capacity the last 18 months has been a key member of the staff. In addition to his office responsibilities he served as a coach with the ESHL and Little Bruins teams as well as coaching in the B’s AAA tournament team program.
“Craig will certainly be missed but this is too good an opportunity to pass up,” Peter Masters commented. “He did a great job with our players and he thrived when teaching on ice. His enthusiasm, game knowledge and teaching method were among the best we have seen. Whether it was with our Little Bruins or junior aged kids all the way down to the 04′s this psring and summer he knew how to connect with them and get his point across.”
“It always hurts to lose a valuable part of the team, but, we are happy for Craig in the same way we were when Billy Riga left the program to take a job at Union and helped put that program on a
national stage and when Mike Yandle left to take a full time scouting position in the NHL (Florida Panthers). In the same way it is exciting for us to see our players move onto bigger and better things, we feel the same about our coaches and staff.”
Hong Kong, which is the most densely populated city in the world, has a population of 8 million yet there are only two hockey rinks in the city and the Typhoons have 500 players in their program. Falite, in addition to the overall direction of the program, will also work on ice with teams and coach and will be in China for two years.
Falite will fly to Hong Kong on Monday, August 20th, he can be reached via email at: cfalite@gmail.com
