*UPDATE* Shane Eiserman: UNH's Youngest Recruit

**UPDATE**

2014 UNH Recruit Shane Eiserman** is scheduled to play in the Massachusett Hockey Tier 1 National Bound State Tournament this weekend. We have received the tournament schedule and team rosters from Pat Bohan of the Greater Boston Junior Bruins organization and Eiserman is on the Jr. Bruins' 18 and under roster. The U18 and U16 State Tournaments are hosted by the Massachusetts Selects Tier 1 Midget Hockey League. The U18 games will be played at the Foxboro Sports Center while the U16 games take place at the Kasabuski Arena in Saugus and Devine Rink in Dorchester.

Here is the schedule for the U18 Championship:

Friday, Nov. 11:

6:00 - Cape Cod Whalers vs. Bay State Breakers
6:10 - Neponsent Valley River Rats vs. Boston Bandits
7:55 - Valley Jr. Warriors vs. South Shore Dynamos
8:00 - Greater Boston Jr. Bruins vs. Eastern Mass Senators.

Saturday, Nov. 12:

9:40 - River Rats vs. Dynamos
10:10 - Whalers vs. Senators
11:35 - Warriors vs. Bandits
12:05 - Jr. Bruins vs. Breakers
5:00 - Dynamos vs. Bandits
5:10 - Senators vs. Breakers
6:55 - River Rats vs. Warriors
7:00 - Whalers vs. Jr. Bruins

Sunday, Nov. 13:

8:50 AM - Semi-Final
9:00 AM - Semi-Final
4:00 PM - 18 Under Championship Game

If Eiserman and the Jr. Bruins win the Championship Game, they will represent the Massachusetts District in the USA Hockey National Championship Tournament next spring.

**UPDATE**

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In mid-August, when West Newbury, Massachusetts native Shane Eiserman made a verbal commitment to play for the University of New Hampshire, he was 15 years, 10 months old and was on summer break between his freshman and sophomore years of high school. In an interview published in the Newburyport (MA) News, the youngest of three, hockey-standout brothers described his rationale for choosing UNH:

"I've wanted to go to UNH since I was a little kid. I went for a visit last week, and they offered a full scholarship. I couldn't turn that down. UNH saw me for the first time when I was with Team USA. They called me in for a visit. I met all the coaches — Coach Umile, Coach (Scott Borek). It felt like a college atmosphere, and I really wanted to play there. The rink is unreal. Coach Gagnon (Cushing Academy) went to and played at UNH, so he was a big influence."

The article also reported that "Eiserman said he committed to UNH because he feels the school gives him the best chance to win a national championship."

Fall Hockey Season
Shane Eiserman, a 6'1", 180-pound forward, turned 16 in mid-October and is now a sophomore at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, MA. Like fellow UNH Recruit Jason Kalinowski (who is 3 months older and a junior at the Salisbury School), Eiserman has been preparing for the prep school hockey season by playing fall hockey. He plays for the Massachusetts West Under 19 team in the New England Fall Prep Hockey League. The NEFPHL is made up primarily of New England prep school juniors and seniors (and some post graduates) who are 1 to 3 years older than Eiserman. He is one of only an handful of 16-year-old sophomores playing in the league. The Mass West team includes several Cushing Academy players who will be Eiserman's teammates when the 2011-12 Prep School regular season begins in early December.

I had an oppportunity to correspond with Head Coach George Sullivan about the Mass West teams' season and Eiserman's play. The team is currently in 8th place with a record of 4 wins, 8 losses, and 2 ties. Coach Sullivan explained that individual player statistics for League play are not readily available. However, he provided the following assessment of Shane Eiserman:

"What I can tell you is that he is big, strong, fast and is a very dynamic player. He is one of the best players in our league (which is high quality) and he is three years younger than the oldest players in the league. I liken him to Chris Kreider at Boston College. He is very athletic, speedy and has excellent size. He is a real high end prospect for UNH."

This Sunday, November 7th, the NEFPHL will conduct its end of the season playoffs at The Icenter in Salem, NH. Play begins at 9:30 AM and ends with the Championship Game at 3:30.

Greater Boston Junior Bruins U18
The Greater Boston Jr. Bruins Under 18 team plays in the Massachusetts Midget Selects League which is a Tier 1 AAA Elite League. They play a 10-game, regular season in the Fall culminating in the Massachusetts Midget Major State Championship in mid-November. In addition to his busy schedule of NEFPHL games, Shane Eiserman has played in 4 games with the GB Jr. Bruins. He has scored a goal and an assist in these games. A primary reason for playing in the Mass Midget Selects League is that it offers an avenue for playing in the USA Hockey National Championships in the spring. The winner of the Midget Major State Championship advances to the National Championship as the representative of the Massachusetts District. Last year, 2012 Recruit Mike Vecchione played a few games with the GB Jr. Bruins and went to the Nationals held in Simsbury, CT. The Jr. Bruins advanced to the semifinal game but lost in overtime to the eventual National Champions, Shattuck St. Mary's from Minnesota.

This year, the Mass Midget Major State Championships will be held November 11, 12, and 13 at the Foxboro Sports Center. If Shane Eiserman plays on the Jr. Bruins' team, he will be hoping for a trip to the Nationals in April.

** Photo Credit: bigmanwithacamera.com.