UNH Commits Update: October-6-2016

Eric MacAdams
4 Goals in 3 USHL Games

The 2016-17 regular season has begun for 11 of the 12 young players who have committed to play for the University of New Hampshire. Seven UNH Commits are playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL), two in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), two in the United States Premiere Hockey League (USPHL), and one in the New England Prep School Hockey League.

The current freshman class on the 2016-17 UNH hockey team has 5 forwards, 2 defensemen, and the recently added goalie Joe Lazzaro. In the Wildcats' 3-1 exhibition victory over the University of New Brunswick last Sunday, a number of freshmen logged substantial minutes including Anthony Wyse on the 2nd defensive pair and Brendan van Riemsdyk, Liam Blackburn, and Patrick Grasso on the the 3rd forward line. Fans who followed The UNH Men's Hockey Blog last season will recognize these players' potential to be impact NCAA players.

Six of the current crop of UNH Commits are on target to enroll at UNH in the Fall of 2017. Of this group, forward Charlie Kelleher and goalie Mike Robinson have already signed National Letters of Intent. Another 2017 Commit, Eric MacAdams, is off to a red-hot start in his second season with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL.

Player Spotlight - Eric MacAdams

Last November, Eric MacAdams (DOB: 4-29-1997) verbally accepted an athletic scholarship offer from the UNH hockey program. After an outstanding career at Austin Prep School in Reading, Massachusetts - he was named to the 2014-15 Boston Herald Boys All-Scholastic "Dream Team" - MacAdams traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to play for the Stampede. In his first season, the 5'11", 170 lbs. right-shot forward tallied 10 goals, including 4 game-winning goals, and 8 assists.

The Stampede's opening game of the 2016-17 USHL season featured four UNH Commits - Eric MacAdams and Jason O'Neill for the Stampede and Charlie Kelleher and Joseph Cipollone for the Tri-City Storm. Early in the first period, MacAdams scored his and the Stampede's first goal of the season. At the end of regulation and the overtime period, the teams were tied 2-2. In the shootout, MacAdams was the second Stampede shooter and he buried the puck for the victory. This highlight video shows both of MacAdams' goals in the Tri-City game:



Last Friday, the Stampede made the 360 mile trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to face the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Sioux Falls thumped the RoughRiders 8-2 and MacAdams scored the Stampede's 6th and 7th goals of the game (see highlight video). On all four of his goals, MacAdams skated strong into the slot and beat the opposing goalie. After three games, Eric MacAdams is tied for third in USHL scoring and tied for second in goals.

2016-17 Statistics

NOTE
The statistics for the commits, presented in the following table, are categorized by the projected year they will enroll in UNH. For example, the "2017 Commits" are projected to begin playing for UNH in the Fall of 2017. I have based these projections on a number of factors including:
~ If a National Letter of Intent has been signed.
~ The year the commit and UNH coaches originally targeted for enrollment in UNH.
~ How old the commit would be upon admission.
~ Number of years in junior hockey prior to admission.
~ The commit's performance in recent seasons as well as injuries.
~ Anticipated date of high school graduation.
~ Number of UNH players leaving the team at the end of the previous season and the position they played.

Player	Team	League	GP	Goals	Asst	Pts	PIM
2017 Commits
Joseph Cipollone  (F)	Tri-City Storm	USHL	4	1	0	1	0
Liam Darcy  (D)	Islanders Hockey Club	USPHL	7	0	2	2	0
Charlie Kelleher*  (F)	Tri-City Storm	USHL	4	1	1	2	2
Eric MacAdams  (F)	Sioux Falls Stampede	USHL	3	3	1	4	0
James Miller  (D)	Penticton Vees	BCHL	2	0	1	1	2
Mike Robinson*  (G)	Dubuque Fighting Saints	USHL	0	0W	0L	0.00	.000
2017 or '18 Commits
Eric Esposito  (F)	Youngstown Phantoms	USHL	1	0	0	0	15
Jason O'Neill  (F)	Sioux Falls Stampede	USHL	3	2	1	3	0
2018 Commits
Angus Crookshank  (F)	Langley Rivermen	BCHL	1	0	1	1	0
Corson Green  (D)	Chicago Steel	USHL	2	0	0	0	2
2018 or '19 Commits
Lucas Bahn  (D)	Skipjacks 18U	USPHL	7	4	5	9	0
Ryan Verrier  (D)	Salisbury School	NE Prep	-	-	-	-	-
* = Signed National Letter of Intent

News & Notes

United States Hockey League:

~ After two seasons with the Boston Junior Bruins Premiere team in the USPHL, Charlie Kelleher brought his talents to Kearney, Nebraska to play for the Tri-City Storm. Kelleher began the season at right-wing on the Storm's starting lineup. He has tallied a goal and an assist over the first four games. Last Saturday, Kelleher scored his first USHL goal on this pretty give and go play with Montgomery Graham (Boston College commit):



~ 2017 UNH Commit Joseph Cipollone scored his first goal of the season in the Tri-City Storm's first game. Last season, the left-shot forward scored 7 goals and 5 assists during Tri-City's run to the Clark Cup Championship.

~ 2017 or '18 commit Jason O'Neill has posted 2 goals and an assist over the first 3 games of the Sioux Falls Stampede season. O'Neill has played center on a line with Eric MacAdams.

~ 2018 UNH Commit Corson Green has been identified by the NHL Central Scouting Service as a "Player to Watch" for the 2017 NHL Draft. The 6'1", 206 lbs left-shot defenseman was given a "C" rating which indicates he has the potential to be drafted in the 4th, 5th, or 6th round of the 2017 Draft. Green is in his first season with the Chicago Steel in the USHL.

British Columbia Hockey League:

~ The Penticton Vees of the BCHL acquired 2017 UNH Commit James Miller in a trade with the Olds Grizzlys (Alberta Junior Hockey League). The 6'2", 175 lbs. left-shot defenseman has tallied one assist in two games for the Vees.

United States Premiere Hockey League:

~ 2018 or '19 commit Lucas Bahn, a defenseman with the Skipjacks Hockey Club 18U team in the USPHL, has been piling up points. Over the first 7 games of the season, Bahn has tallied 4 goals, including 2 game-winners, and added 5 assists. He is currently tied for 4th in scoring in the USPHL 18U League.