Freshman Angus Crookshank Cranks Up Scoring for UNH

Angus Crookshank
6 Games 3 Goals 5 Assists

"I love scoring goals. I don't think there's a better feeling in the world. Even in practice I try to score as much as I can, even if it's a warmup drill for the goalies." Angus Crookshank, UNH Freshman Forward, December 8th Press Conference

"Angus is a kid who loves to score goals. He loves to score goals in practice. He's got a high motor. He's continuing to learn the game, all the time, away from the puck. As his game away from the puck continues to get better, he's rewarded with more opportunities. That's what I saw tonight." Mike Souza, UNH Head Coach, December 8th Press Conference

As UNH head coach Mike Souza prepared for his first season at the helm, he knew the Wildcats needed to find ways to score more goals. During Dick Umile's final year behind the bench, UNH was last in goals scored in Hockey East competition averaging only 2 goals per game.

Souza believed that Angus Crookshank, an incoming freshman from North Vancouver, British Columbia, had the potential to help generate offense. Last summer, Crookshank was drafted in the 5th Round (126th overall) by the Ottawa Senators. Bobby Strum, amateur scout for the Senators, observed that Angus "scores big goals and has the ability to make big plays too."

Just 17 days after his 19th birthday, Crookshank scored his first NCAA goal. It happened on October 19th at Colorado College in Crookshank's third game in a Wildcat jersey. He also contributed an assist in the two subsequent games against CC and Vermont.

But then Crookshank hit a scoring dry spell. He didn't register a point in Games 6 through 10. During that stretch, UNH earned ties against UMass-Lowell and Boston College but lost twice to UMass-Amherst and once to Boston University. Angus admitted "it was getting a little frustrating there for a little bit; the puck wasn't bouncing my way".

Hockey East Rookie of the Week

Ten games into the 2018-19 season, the puck was not bouncing for UNH either. The Wildcats had only 1 win and 3 ties, along with 6 loses, when the 19th-ranked Miami Redhawks came to Durham on Thanksgiving weekend. In the first period of Game 1, Angus Crookshank skated strong down the slot, gathered a rebound, and banged it home giving UNH a 2-1 lead.

With less than a minute left in regulation and the UNH net empty, Crookshank raced the puck through the three zones down to the boards below the goal line. He initiated the game-tying play by gathering the loose puck and backhanding a pass to fellow freshman Eric Esposito behind the Miami net. In turn, Esposito centered a backhanded pass to junior Liam Blackburn who flipped it into the net.

The following night, UNH downed Miami convincingly 4-1 and earned its second win of the season. Midway through the third period, Angus Crookshank had the primary assist on Patrick Grasso's game-winning goal. After Crookshank carried the puck from below the goal line into the low slot and backhanded a shot on goal, Grasso cleaned up the rebound.

On the strength of these three scoring plays against Miami, Angus Crookshank was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week:

Scoring Blitz

Following the Miami series, Crookshank picked up additional assists in games against 10th-ranked Providence College and Dartmouth College. For the Dartmouth game in Hanover, the UNH coaches created a new second line of British Columbia Hockey League alums - Crookshank on left wing, Liam Blackburn at center, and Justin Fregona on right wing. They produced Fregona's first goal of the season in the 3-2 victory.

In the finale to the first half of the season, Angus Crookshank exploded with 2 goals and an assist during a 3 minute and 45 second stretch against Dartmouth at the Whittemore Center. On their first shift of the game, Fregona and Blackburn worked the puck behind the Dartmouth net while Crookshank glided into the low slot in front of goalie Justin Ferguson. Blackburn centered a pass and Angus one-timed it over the goalie's blocker. The play was a prime example of what Coach Souza described as Crookshank improving his "play away from the puck".

Two minutes after Crookshank's first goal of the game, UNH captain Marcus Vela and Dartmouth's leading scorer Will Graber went to the box with matching penalties. Coach Souza sent out Crookshank, Blackburn, Max Gildon, and Kohei Sato for the 4-on-4 play. Angus dug the puck out of the right corner and carried it strong to the net. The goalie poked it away, Blackburn gathered it and lifted a shot on goal. The puck slid horizontally just in front of the goal line and Crookshank tapped it into the back of the net for his 4th goal of his rookie season.

With the same 4-on-4 play coming to an end, Blackburn backhanded a loose puck down to Crookshank in the right corner. Angus snapped a pass to Gildon streaking down the slot and the third round pick of the Florida Panthers banged it home for his 3rd goal of the season. UNH went on to win 4-0 crediting sophomore Mike Robinson with his first NCAA career shutout. Here are the video highlights of Angus Crookshank's scoring flurry:



Over the last 6 games, Angus Crookshank has scored 3 goals and distributed 5 assists. UNH won 3 games, tied 2 and lost only once. The Wildcats' record improved to 4-7-5. With a total of 4 goals and 7 assists in 16 games, Crookshank is tied for 3rd in scoring on the UNH squad and tied for 5th in points per game (0.69) among all Hockey East freshmen. Crookshank and UNH hope to continue these trends throughout the second half of the season which begins tomorrow night against Bentley University at the Whittemore Center.

Crookshank Interview at UNH Hockey Preseason Media Day

I had an opportunity to interview Angus Crookshank at the UNH Media Day on October 3rd. We talked about his adjustment to playing NCAA hockey and his experience getting drafted by the Ottawa Senators last June.

Mike Lowry ("C-H-C"): You've had a chance to practice with the upperclassmen who are NCAA veterans. It's early in the season and you haven't done a whole lot of scrimmaging. Are there particular areas where you say "I'm definitely going to succeed at this level" and, by the same token, are there other areas where you say "this is something I really need to work on to keep up with these guys and succeed at the NCAA level"?

Angus Crookshank: Obviously, there's experienced guys on this team, they know what it takes to win games in this league. It's definitely an eye-opening thing for us freshmen - the sheer speed and skill of these guys, and size. I think size was the biggest factor and also, while we're scrimmaging, the size of the rink. I personally love it but I know it's a change for some guys. I think we'll be really good this year. We're going to surprise a lot of people.

Mike Lowry: In terms of the size of the rink, what is it that you like about that?

Angus Crookshank: The space to create speed. I love playing fast. I love to make plays at a high tempo.

Lowry: What was it like to get drafted by the Ottawa Senators?

Crookshank: It was a dream come true. There was a lot of stress that whole month. You're overthinking every aspect. Have you done enough? Have you responded to questions that they've asked you? Once you've heard your name called, there's such a weight off your shoulders. Obviously, my parents being there is pretty emotional for sure considering where I came from.

Lowry: Were you surprised that Ottawa selected you or had you figured out that they were interested in you based on interviews and so forth?

Crookshank: Funny enough, Ottawa didn't talk to me. I guess they've been watching me ever since I committed to UNH. So they've been keeping an eye on me. It's an awesome organization and they have a bright future. Hopefully I can be a part of that.

Lowry: It must be nice to be drafted by a Canadian team.

Crookshank: Ya, except that my Dad's a Habs fan so he's not too happy about it (laughs), but at least it's not the Leafs.

UNH Commit Kalle Eriksson: A Puck Moving Defenseman

Kalle Eriksson
2019 UNH Commit

"Kalle Eriksson's a smooth, mobile, two-way, puck moving defenseman." Neutral Zone

“Kalle is a well-rounded defenseman." Carl Larsson, Swedish scout for Future Considerations

Kalle* Eriksson Defenseman, 5'10", 183 lbs. Shoots Left Hometown: Leksand, Sweden DOB: 9-15-1999 Turned 19 in September *Kalle rhymes with "Rally" Neutral Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Current Team: Omaha Lancers (USHL)                        ~ Starting Left Defenseman; First Power Play Unit Commits to UNH: December, 2018 at Age 19 years, 3 months.

Fall 2018 USHL Highlight Reel

In the summer of 2018, Kalle Eriksson moved from Sweden to play for the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League. These video highlights are from the first 22 games of this season. Eriksson wears #61 in the Lancers' jersey. The reel shows Eriksson scoring his goals (1 in regulation plus 1 in overtime), passing, carrying the puck up ice, and quarterbacking the power play.

Interview

I had an opportunity to interview Kalle Eriksson, via email, about his hockey career and commitment to UNH:

Mike Lowry ("C-H-C"): Congratulations on your commitment to pursue a college degree and play hockey for the University of New Hampshire. Would you describe when and why you started to consider UNH?

Kalle Ericksson: Thank you! I heard a lot of good things about college hockey on the East Coast. After UNH reached out to me, I did some research. What caught my attention was the location of the school, and the videos and pictures that I found of the campus and the facilities.

Mike Lowry: How did you first hear about the University of New Hampshire and its hockey program? Did the UNH coaches reach out to you last year, while you were still playing in Sweden, or after you came to the United States to play for the Omaha Lancers? Did you have an opportunity to visit UNH during the recruiting process?

Kalle Ericksson: I have watched a lot of college hockey highlights on YouTube. That’s how I knew about UNH. Assistant coach Jeff Giuliano talked with me early this season after a game and asked me if I wanted to make a visit. So about a month ago, I went there and I got a great impression of the school, the facilities, the team and the coaching staff.

Lowry: What are the main reasons you chose the University of New Hampshire?

Ericksson: Because I think that I can contribute to the hockey program and where it’s at right now. And I think that UNH will be the best place for me to take the next step towards a pro career.

Lowry: What other college programs did you consider? Which schools did you visit and which ones made an offer to you?

Ericksson: I did not do a lot of visits because I’ve only been in the US for four months. We have had quite a hectic schedule with the Lancers. But I visited two Hockey East teams that both wanted to wait for a while longer. And I got two offers from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference before choosing UNH. I’ve had contacts with some others schools and considered visiting after Christmas but when I got to visit UNH, I knew that it was the place I wanted to go to.

Lowry: What other playing opportunities in Sweden did you consider? Do you aspire to play professional hockey in North America and/or Europe?

Ericksson: I considered starting this season as the 8th defenseman with the pro team in my hometown, but college hockey felt like a better path for me in my development. In the future I want to become as good as possible and if that means that I will end up in North America or Europe, time will tell.

Lowry: At this stage in your hockey development, what are the strengths of your game? What areas are you trying to improve?

Ericksson: I would say that my strengths is in my skating, ability to move the puck and make plays. During my years at UNH I want to become a more reliable player and pay more attention to the details of the game, especially without the puck.

Lowry: Your Dad Niklas Eriksson and Uncle Marcus played professional hockey in Sweden. What role did they play in your hockey development?

Ericksson: I guess they are a big part in why I started to play hockey in the first place. Plus the fact that I’m from a very small town where everyone basically plays hockey. My Dad is also a coach for a team in the Swedish pro league so he has always been “the go to guy” for me to ask questions about everything regarding hockey.

Lowry: Last season, you were the captain of the Leksands IF J20 team. What made you an effective captain?

Ericksson: I always try to push myself and I think I have an effect on people to follow. I think that the fact that I have always played for Leksands IF, through all of my youth years until juniors, also played a part in why I was captain. I lived 100 yards from the rink and it was like a second home for me growing up.

Lowry: What was it like to leave Sweden and come to America to play in Omaha, Nebraska?

Ericksson: As I mentioned earlier, I have played for the same team and lived at home at my parents all my life until I moved to Omaha. So it has definitely been a big change for me both on and off the ice. I have learned a lot. The biggest change on the ice is that the USHL is more similar to a pro league considering the fans and what’s expected from you.

Lowry: What are your academic strengths and interests? Have you thought about what you might major in when you enroll at UNH?

Ericksson: I am still studying a lot at the moment to prepare for my upcoming ACT test, so I’m taking one step at a time. Some of my favorite subjects from high school in Sweden were music, geography, history and religion.

Lowry: As an international student, have you received academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Ericksson: I am in the process right now and I’m trying to get everything done as quick as possible.

Scouting Reports

"4 Star prospect Kalle Eriksson commits to New Hampshire. Smooth, mobile, two-way puck moving defenseman who can run a power play, shake off forecheckers and break pucks out. A- grade at USHL Fall Classic." Neutral Zone

"Kalle is a well-rounded defenseman. He is solid defensively and likes to get involved in the offense. Has some nice hands and sees the ice very well. He takes big responsibility on the ice and was the captain of Leksand U20 last season. Skates well.” Carl Larsson, Swedish scout for Future Considerations

Youth & Junior Hockey Statistics

Player	Season	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM
Kalle Eriksson  (D)	2018-19	Omaha Lancers	USHL	24	1	12	13	6
	2017-18	Leksands IF J20	SuperElit	34	5	8	13	34
			Playoffs	2	0	0	0	0
	2016-17	Leksands IF J20	SuperElit	39	4	9	13	34
			Playoffs	5	0	1	1	2
		Leksands IF J18	J18 Premiere	3	0	1	1	6
			Playoffs	3	0	6	6	2
		Leksands IF J18	J18 Elit	4	0	2	2	0
	2015-16	Leksands IF J20	SuperElit	2	0	0	0	0
		Leksands IF J18	J18 Premiere	18	1	13	14	10
			Playoffs	5	0	1	1	6
		Leksands IF J18	J18 Elit	17	2	5	7	2
	2014-15	Leksands IF J18	J18 Premiere	9	1	0	1	2
		Leksands IF J18	J18 Elit	5	0	1	1	0
		Leksands IF J18 2	J18 Div.1	3	0	1	1	10
		Leksands IF U16	U16 SM	8	1	2	3	0
		Leksands IF U16	U16 Elit	20	2	13	15	18
	2013-14	Leksands IF J18 2	J18 Div.1	2	0	2	2	0
		Leksands IF U16	U16 SM	3	0	1	1	0
		Leksands IF U16	U16 Elit	28	3	6	9	22