UNH Recruits Update: Week 15

Player of the Week - Tyler Kelleher

Following a strong finish at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, 17-year-old forward Tyler Kelleher continued his scoring ways as the U.S. Under-17 NTDP team resumed play in the USHL. In back-to-back, away games against Youngstown last weekend, Kelleher scored a goal each night. Team USA won both games against the Phantoms who had the best home-game record in the USHL. In the final period of the 2-1 victory on Friday night, Kelleher gathered a loose puck in the corner, skated behind the Youngstown net, and buried a wrap-around goal. It was Kelleher's second game-winning-goal in his first season in the USHL. On a team loaded with top American players born in 1995, Kelleher is now the second leading scorer.

Last season, Tyler Kelleher was a freshman at Deerfield Academy and scheduled to graduate in the Spring of 2014. Unless he accelerates his schooling, he's on track to enter UNH in the Fall of 2014. If he graduates from high school a year early, he will have played two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. At that point, he would be ready - both academically and in terms of his hockey development - to enroll at UNH in the Fall of 2013.

NOTE
The statistics for the recruits, presented in the table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, the "2012 Recruits" are projected to begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2012. I have based these projections on a number of factors including:
~ How old the player would be upon admission.
~ Number of years in junior hockey prior to admission.
~ Anticipated date of high school graduation.
~ Number of seniors leaving the team at the end of the previous season.
~ The player's performance in the current season.

Player	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM
2012 Recruits
Dan Correale	Nanaimo Clippers	BCHL	8	2	3	5	4
Maxim Gaudreault	Sioux City	USHL	32	7	7	14	22
Jamie Hill	Waterloo	USHL	29	5	12	17	34
Collin MacDonald	Jersey Hitmen	EJHL	32	22	13	35	12
Harry Quast	Bay State	EJHL	31	7	18	25	36
Kyle Smith	Junior Bruins	EJHL	30	14	31	45	22
2012 or '13 Recruit
Brett Pesce	Jersey Hitmen	EJHL	17	1	5	6	18
2013 Recruit
Jordan Masters	Muskegon	USHL	24	4	8	12	37
Matias Cleland	Waterloo	USHL	19	0	3	3	22
Dylan Maller	Tri-City	USHL	22	1	2	3	6
Andrew Poturalski	Buffalo Jr Sabres	OJHL	23	12	17	29	12
2013 or '14 Recruit
Michael McNicholas	Muskegon	USHL	15	2	3	5	6
2014 Recruits
Shane Eiserman	Cushing Academy	NEPSAC	16	7	18	25	-
Tyler Kelleher	USA U17 Team	USHL	16	7	7	14	16
2015 Recruits
Jason Kalinowski	Salisbury Prep	NEPSAC	12	6	4	10	-

News & Notes

Eastern Junior Hockey League:
~ This afternoon (Monday) I had an oppportunity to attend the 2012 EJHL All-Star Game at the Tri-Town Arena in Hooksett, NH. 2012 Recruits Collin MacDonald, and Harry Quast played for the Southern Division Team and Kyle Smith played for the Northern Division. The Southern team won in a shootout. Look for an upcoming post on the details.

~ At the All-Star break, Collin MacDonald is the 4th leading goal scorer in the EJHL. Kyle Smith is 5th in assists and 7th in total points. Among EJHL defensemen, Harry Quast is tied for 1st in total goals and power play goals, and tied for 3rd in points

United States Hockey League:
~ Jordan Masters and Michael McNicholas missed the last two Lumberjack games but are expected to return to the lineup soon.