Hockey East 2012-13 Team Capsules – New Hampshire

New Hampshire

 

 

 

Last Season: 15-19-3 (11-14-2) 6^th in Hockey East

Key Departures:

(F) Stevie Moses (graduated), (D) Damon Kipp (graduated), (F) Mike Borisenok (graduated)

’12-’13 Recruit Class:

(F) Dan Correale – Prince George, BC – Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)

(F) Maxim Gaudreault – Annapolis, MD – Sioux City Musketeer (USHL)

(F) Collin MacDonald – West Milford, NJ – Jersey Hitmen (EJHL)

(F) Jamie Hill – Glassboro, NJ – Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)

(D) Brett Pesce – Tarrytown, NY – Jersey Hitmen (EJHL)

(D) Harry Quast – Chagrin Falls, OH – Bay State Breakers (EJHL)

(G) Jamie Regan – Chagrin Falls, OH – Philadelphia Revolution (EJHL)

(F) Kyle Smith – Lumbertown, NJ – Junior Bruins (EJHL)

 

BF’s Hockey East Recruit Class Rank: 7 – If UNH is to succeed this year, it is imperative that they find some new sources of offensive production beyond the first line. Coach Umile welcomes a nice blend of recruits from all over North America including a pair of 20 goal plus scorers from the EJHL – Collin McDonald (Jersey Hitmen) and Kyle Smith (Junior Bruins). Dan Correale is the most experienced of the group in terms of Junior A hockey experience as he comes to Durham after registering more than a point a game with the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL. Overall, a nice mix of positional players comprised of 5 forwards, 2 defensemen and a goaltender, Jaime Regan (Philadelphia – EJHL). Defensively, Brett Pesce (Tarrytown, NY) is the youngest of the group but comes to UNH with a solid pedigree that includes a stint with the U-18 US NTDP.

Correale will be looked to for some offensive support in Durham – coutesy of Sprucekings.bc.ca

BF’s Key Recruit to Watch: Dan Correale– Dan Correale, a ’91 birthdate, seems to be the most seasoned, battle tested forward amongst the incoming class headed to Durham. He has played Junior A hockey in Canada since the ’07-’08 season putting up impressive numbers. His most prolific campaign in Junior A came back in the ’10-’11 season while skating in the Alberta league where Correale posted 70 points (24G, 46A) for the Grande Prairie Storm.

Official 2012-2013 Roster

The Beanpot Forum asked the experts for an ‘Insider’s Take’:

Coach Dick Umile

On replacing Stevie Moses

“We feel there are a lot of forwards that will step up to fill his void offensively. There are a number of upperclassmen that stepped up last year and others that will be asked to play an increased role this.”

On the incoming recruit class

“I’m not going to single out any one player, but we really like our freshman class. There is a nice balance of defensemen, forward and a goalie. These players will have an opportunity to compete for play time.”

 

Mike Lowry “C-H-C”

On the incoming UNH recruit class – some excellent insight on each player

Dan Correale,  F, 8/21/91, 5-10/185 (Nanaimo Clippers/BCHL) — 21-year-old left shot, left-winger has most junior hockey experience of freshman class.  Three seasons in British Columbia HL and two in Alberta Junior HL.  Averaged a point-per-game last two seasons.  Was on track to enroll at UNH last year but shoulder surgery postponed him a year.  Most prepared to make jump to college hockey.

Maxim Gaudreault,  F, 7/16/92, 6-0/190 (Sioux City Musketeers/USHL) — Strong left-winger played on Sioux City’s 1st line.  Solid, two-way player excelled on penalty kill unit.  Was named Alternate Captain in second season with Sioux City.   Is third UNH player, along with Nick Sorkin and Casey Thrush, to play midget hockey with Team Maryland.   

Jamie Hill,  F, 2/3/92, 5-9/175 (Waterloo Black Hawks/USHL) — Fiesty right-winger excelled in USHL playoffs last season.  Lead Waterloo to USHL Championship Series with most playoff goals (9) in league.  Quickness in offensive zone creates space, excitement and scoring opportunities.  Infamous for losing 10 teeth while blocking a shot in semifinal game and returning to game.  The veteran of three seasons in the USHL could make an impact early in his first UNH season. 

Collin MacDonald,  F, 6/21/92, 6-2/200 (Jersey Hitmen/EJHL) — A big, strong left-winger who shows speed in open ice and tenacious one-on-one play in the offensive zone.  Scored 27 goals in 45 regular season games for the Hitmen which tied him for 7th leading goal scorer in the EJHL.  Jersey Head Coach Toby Harris likens MacDonald’s skill set to those of former UNH star and current NHL standout James van Riemsdyk.  Played only one season of junior hockey before coming to UNH so may take until midseason to work his way into the lineup.

Brett Pesce,  D, 11/15/94, 6-3/175 (Jersey Hitmen/EJHL) — Although the tall, right-shot defenseman is not yet 18 years old, he has already played in four NCAA Division I hockey games.  Despite battling a shoulder injury for much of last season, he was called up to the U.S. Under-18 National Team Development Program team and held his own against BU, Northeastern, Wisconsin, and Minnesota State.  Pesce is a smooth skater who carries the puck through the three zones with authority.  Has outstanding vision and distributes the puck well on the power play.  Some scouts have identified Pesce as a player to watch in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Harry Quast,  D, 3/26/91, 6-4/215 (Bay State Breakers/EJHL) — A late-bloomer, the outsized, left-shot defenseman made a huge impact in his second season in the EJHL.  The All-Star scored 8 goals and 24 assists and was the fifth leading scorer among EJHL defenseman.  Quast is a shutdown defenseman in his own end using his size and reach to gain control of the puck.  Also makes effective first passes out of his zone.  May surprise some UNH fans with the amount of playing time he earns this season.

Jamie Regan,  G, 1/15/92, 6-2/180 (Philadelphia Revolution/EJHL) — Last season, Regan was named an EJHL All-Star despite playing for a last place team.  Facing an average of 35 shots on goal each game, he posted a .903 save percentage.  As a junior in high school, lead his team to the 2009 State Championship in Ohio.

Kyle Smith,  F, 2/14/92, 6-1/185 (Junior Bruins/EJHL) — In his third season with the Junior Bruins, Smith was an EJHL All-Star and the 10th leading scorer in the league.  He scored 24 goals and 38 assists in 43 regular season games.  He’s a tall and lanky, right-shot forward whose forte is passing and setting up goals.

 

Beanpot Forum’s Prognosis: Dick Umile enters his 23rd year behind the UNH bench in Durham, and judging by past results, last year’s 11 (Hockey East) win season should be largely viewed as an anomaly. The ’11-12 season marked the first sub .500 record in years and New Hampshire hopes its win total from the 2nd half of last season will continue to propagate as the ’12-13 season gets underway in a few weeks. In looking at the ’12-13 schedule, although the Wildcats open HEA play with a tilt at the Whit versus BU, it’s the stretch of games from October 26th through November 10th- against teams in the same echelon- that will provide a true litmus test and tell us all we need to know about this UNH squad.

Despite being ranked 21st in the nation offensively (2.92 g/gm) last season, UNH did not have a sole member in the top 50 individual scoring leaders. The fact that Stevie Moses accounted for 20% of the goal production represents another dubious obstacle that the Wildcats will be forced to overcome in ’12-13 – “Where will Moses’ lost goal production come from”? Much like Merrimack, UNH will need some of its veterans to substantially increase their output from last year in order to thrive in the coming season.

With all this political talk of ‘spreading the wealth’, UNH certainly exemplifies this socialistic concept; as a gander at their 12-13 roster shows. There is not much deviation from the mean, as most of the forwards are lumped into a group in the 4-10 goal range in terms of their ’11-12 production.

Experts seem to be bullish on UNH this season but the Forum isn’t buying in just yet. Grayson Downing should be great and UNH returns a solid group of forwards including, Kevin Goumas (9-25-34)  and Nick Sorkin (9-26-35), who were Moses’ battery mates last year on the Wildcats top line. John Henrion (Holden, MA), Greg Burke (Washington Capitals) and company will need to further develop and play heady, 2 way games – which in some ways is the antithesis of the prototypical UNH run and gun system.

(G) Casey DeSmith solidified UNH in the 2nd half of last season and will need to be immense for Dick Umile’s team again this year. It is strange to think that the Wildcats will have to rely on the defensive side of the ledger if they have any hope of reaching the top echelons of Hockey East this year, but they simply don’t have the horses that they have grown accustomed to over the years. Defensively, UNH will look to veteran leadership as 6Ft6” Maple Leafs draft pick, Eric Knobel leads an impressive defensive corps looking to hold down the fort in front of DeSmith. Sophomore Trevor van Riemsdyk (brother of NHL’er James) and senior Connor Hardowa will also see a bulk of the minutes of the blue line.

We think New Hampshire is one year away, when these freshmen further develop and adjust to the college game and Sorkin, Goumas and Downing will all be at the prime age and experience level to excel in HEA.

BF Predicted Hockey East Position: 7th – Theological history tells us the miraculous story of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. We are not saying Stevie Moses is this important of a figure; we are simply questioning where his lost goal production will come from.