COLOGNE - Denmark goaltender Patrick Galbraith (New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs) looked down the ice and saw teammate Stefan Lassen charging the USA net and thought maybe his teammate shouldn't be doing what he was doing. 

But Galbraith was all smiles seconds later when Lassen batted a rebound of his own shot past Team USA goalie Scott Clemmensen at 2:04 of overtime to left Denmark to a 2-1 triumph over the United States at the World Championship on Monday. 

"I was just thinking what is he doing up there," said Galbraith. "Then I said that is a good play, a heads-up play."  Lassen was in full stride when he snapped a wrist shot that hit goaltender Scott Clemmensen in the chest. Lassen kept going and he got his stick on the puck to score the winning goal. "I saw the defenceman hestitate and went for it," said Lassen. "It felt unreal to see it go in."  The win allowed Denmark to continue its march to the qualification round of the 16-team tournament.  Denmark has won both its games in Group D and now has five points. The Team USA has collected two points from losing twice in overtime and now has a crucial game on Wednesday against Finland that has implications of which team goes on and which teams heads to the relegation round. 

"Inexcusable, the U.S. should not be losing these games," said Team USA captain Jack Johnson after the shocking loss to the Danes. "It's inexcusable. At the same time, it's hard to win games when you score just two goals in two games." "We have a huge game against Finland. We have to start winning games or we'll find ourselves going home a lot earlier that we should. I'm very disappointed. We have to figure out a way to win a hockey game." 

The loss marked the first time since 2003 that the USA has lost its first two games at the world tournament.  After a scoreless first period, Denmark's Lars Eller and Keith Yandle of Team USA traded goals in the second period to send the teams to dressing room for the break tied 1-1.  Clemmensen and Galbraith took turns keeping their team in the game in the first and second periods respectively.  The Danes had an 11-8 shots advantage in the first period and Clemmensen was the main reason why the game was goalless at the first intermission.  Clemmensen's first test came at 6:15 of the first when he was quick to get his right pad on a low shot by Frans Nielsen.  Midway through the period, the Danes were on a power play when the Team USA goalie stopped a low point shot by Jesper Damgaard and was then quick to smother the rebound. 

Clemmensen made a third sparkling save with 2:35 to go in the period when he snagged a shot by Eller. Team USA regrouped in the break and carried the play in the second period, but sound work by Galbraith prevented his opponents from running up the score. 

David Moss ripped a slot shot from the left faceoff circle at 1:27 that Galbraith alertly snagged with his trapper.  Team USA was on a power play less than a minute later when Galbraith made three quick saves on a scramble at the lip of the crease at the 2:21 mark. Not long after, he smothered a rebound before a USA forward was able to pounce on the puck. T.J. Galiardi accidentally lifted the puck into the stands on a clearing attempt and was sent off on a delaying the game penalty at 7:32 and Denmark scored on the power play to take a 1-0 lead at 8:52. Eller stepped into a slap shot that sailed over Clemmensen's shoulder after the goalie dropped to his knees. Yandle tied the game on a power play, with Peter Regin looking on from the penalty box where he was serving a tripping penalty.

T.J. Oshie was to Galbraith's right and the USA forward was behind the goal line when he spotted Yandle pinching in from the point. Oshie sent a crisp pass to his teammate and Yandle snapped the puck past a diving Galbraith to tie the game 1-1 at 12:03. 

The U.S. went into the game with a 2-1 won-lost record against Denmark.

-Written by Alan Adams, courtesy of International Ice Hockey Federation.

Army's coach said that on a team with no senior defensemen and only one junior defenseman Cheyne was a solid leader on the ice. Army's coach highlighted Cheyne's major role in all 36 games, his work ethic, his poise with the puck and leading the team with 59 blocked shots. 
full story on 2010 hockey awards

Dumoulin Plays Key Role In BC’s National Title Run
It would seem that championships and individual success are becoming the norm for Boston College freshman and former Monarch defenseman Brian Dumoulin. This past Saturday Dumoulin and his Boston College teammates captured the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship, defeating the Wisconsin University Badgers by a score of 5-0. Dumoulin was named to the NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament team, recording an outstanding +10 in BC’s four games and notching 3 assists. The NCAA Championship is the high point in a 4-year run of championships for Brian. He was a member of back-to-back Maine state champion teams while starring at Biddeford High School, and last year while playing with the Monarchs, he helped the team earn their 4th straight EJHL Regular Season crown, and their 3rd straight National Title.

The 2nd round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes has been a key factor in all 4 of those championships. Dumoulin earned Player of the Year honors in Maine his junior year, and led the state in scoring as a defenseman. That following summer he was selected to the US National Under 18 team that competed overseas in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Slovakia. 

Dumoulin made an immediate impact with the Monarchs. His size and tremendous skill were a major factor in the 2008-2009 team’s overall success, and it also earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors in the league. In June, the Carolina Hurricanes selected Dumoulin 51st overall in the NHL Entry Draft, capping off a season of incredible accomplishments for the young defenseman.

This past fall Brian arrived on the campus of Boston College as a true freshman. Just two years earlier he had been a sophomore at a public high school in Maine. Brian was the first native Mainer to ever be recruited to play hockey at BC. Just as he had adjusted his game to better fit the junior level, Brian quickly adapted to the pace of play at the collegiate level, and similar to what he did as a Monarch, Brian then began to excel. He finished the season with an astonishing +40 rating, was a previously mentioned +10 in 4 NCAA Tournament games, and was a +3 in 8 of the 42 games he played. With stats like that it’s no wonder Brian was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team, College Hockey News All –Rookie team, and was also a runner up for Hockey East Rookie of the Year. The Beanpot Final on February 8thagainst archrival Boston University, a game in which the Eagles won, was the last game Dumoulin had a minus rating. He went the final 16 games of the Eagles’ season playing even or better.

So in his first season as a Boston College Eagle, Brian added a few more of things to his list of career highlights. Dumoulin and his Boston College teammates claimed the Beanpot Championship, Hockey East Tournament, and the NCAA Frozen Four Championship, and Brian himself earned a spot on his league’s All-Rookie team, a national All-Rookie team, the National Championship’s All-Tournament team, and was runner up for his league’s Rookie of the Year. Not bad for a kid from Biddeford, ME, but it would seem that these sorts of things are what Dumoulin was born to do.

 

Brian Foster named to New England All Star Team &
Division I All-America Team

Brian Foster NE All Star

BOSTON – Senior forward Bobby Butler (Marlboro, Mass.), of the University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team, was selected as the Leonard Fowle Most Valuable Player for New England and the Herb Gallagher Award given to the Best Forward in New England. In addition, Butler, Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) and Blake Kessel (Verona, Wis.) were all named 2009-10 New England Men’s Division I All-Stars. The announcements were made on Friday (April 2) and will be presented at the New England Hockey Writers annual awards banquet on Tuesday, April 13 at the Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Mass.

Foster, a 2009 Hockey East Honorable Mention selection, was a 2010 Hockey East All Star First team, a four-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week and earned Goalie of the Month in December and January. Hockey East’s ironman in net, Foster played in 38 of 39 games and ranked first in Hockey East in saves (1,128), minutes (2,297:10) and wins (17). In Hockey East play, Foster was in the top five in every netminding category with a 2.75 GAA (5th), .913 save percentage (4th), .653 win percentage (3rd) and 764 saves (2nd). Foster stopped a career-high 50 shots on March 14 against Vermont and allowed two goals or fewer on 16 occasions. Foster’s 1,128 saves in 2009-10 is second behind All-American Mike Ayers (1,139 - 2002-03) on UNH’s single season saves list.

DETROIT – Senior forward Bobby Butler (Marlboro, Mass.), senior netminder Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) and sophomore defenseman Blake Kessel (Verona, Wis.) of the University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team, were selected to the Division I RBK All-America team on Friday night as chosen by the American Hockey Coaches Association at the Frozen Four at Ford Field in Detroit. Butler was named a first team All America selection, while Foster and Kessel were both tabbed second team All-America.

Foster, a 2009 Hockey East Honorable Mention selection, was a New England All-Star, 2010 Hockey East All Star First team, a four-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week and earned Goalie of the Month in December and January. Hockey East’s ironman in net, Foster played in 38 of 39 games and ranked first in Hockey East in saves (1,128), minutes (2,297:10) and wins (17). In Hockey East play, Foster was in the top five in every netminding category with a 2.75 GAA (5th), .913 save percentage (4th), .653 win percentage (3rd) and 764 saves (2nd). Foster stopped a career-high 50 shots on March 14 against Vermont and allowed two goals or fewer on 16 occasions. Foster’s 1,128 saves in 2009-10 is second behind All-American Mike Ayers (1,139 - 2002-03) on UNH’s single season saves list.

 

Knowlton Nets Last-Minute Winner for Sacred Heart ROCHESTER, N.Y. (March 19) - Patrick Knowlton scored with 41 seconds left in regulation to lead Sacred Heart to a 2-1 victory over defending champion Air Force in the second semifinal of the Atlantic Hockey tournament. The Falcons had scored an extra-attacker goal with 1:29 to play to even the score. "Give [Sacred Heart] all the credit for having the guts to come back after we scored," said Air Force coach Frank Serratore. "I'm proud of the way we responded," said Pioneers coach C.J. Marottolo. "It was pretty wild." The teams managed only one goal in the first 58 minutes before the wild finish. Erik Boisvert dove to sweep in a rebound off a shot from Eric Delong at 10:14 of the second period. That goal broke a shutout streak of 161:07 for Air Force goaltender Andrew Volkening at Blue Cross Arena. Volkening had back-to-back shutouts in the semifinals and finals last season. "He's the best player to ever wear the blue and silver," Serratore said of his goaltender. "We let him down by only scoring one goal. Your margin of error is pretty small when you can only score one goal. We died from the disease that has plagued as all season - the inability to score goals. If it wasn't for Andrew Volkening we would have wound up sixth or seventh in the league." With two minutes to play and Sacred Heart leading 1-0, Serratore used his timeout and pulled Volkening. The Falcons won the ensuing faceoff and worked the puck to the Sacred Heart net, where Jacques Lamoureux put in a rebound. "It's ironic that three years ago, we had a wild finish with Sacred Heart," said Serratore. "We pulled our goalie and tied it up and won in overtime. I thought we were going to do it again." With 42 seconds to play, Dave Jarman found Knowlton at the side of the Air Force net, and he was able to roof the pass before Volkening could slide over. "Jarman looked for me," said Knowlton. "He made a pass and it hit off a skate and came right back to him. He looked for me again and made a great pass." ATHLETIC REPUBLIC PLAYER OF THE MONTH Brian Flynn - Maine Sophomore Forward; Lynnfield, Mass Flynn notched 15 points (10g,5a) in eight games in February for the Black Bears. He had points in seven of Maine’s eight games. Flynn tied a Maine record with five goals and added two assists for a school record seven points in Maine’s 8-4 win over UMass Lowell. Finished the month a +6 plus/minus rating. He averaged 1.88 points per game and 1.25 goals per game in February. Runners-up: Bobby Butler, UNH (Sr., F, Marlboro, Mass.) 7GP, 9 pts. (6g,3a) Brian Gibbons, BC (Jr., F, Braintree, Mass.) 9GP, 14 pts. (6g,8a) Brayden Irwin, UVM (Sr., F, Toronto, Ont.) 8GP, 11 pts. (4g,7a) Tyler McNeely, NU (Jr., F, Burnaby, B.C.) 9GP, 12 pts. (5g7a) Feb. Opponent Result G-A-P 5 New Hampshire W 3-2 0-1-1 6 New Hampshire W 6-3 2-0-2 12 at Boston U. L 4-7 0-1-1 13 at Boston U. L 2-5 0-0-0 19 UMass Lowell W 8-4 5-2-7 20 UMass Lowell L 2-4 1-0-1 26 at Merrimack L 3-6 0-1-1 27 at Merrimack W 5-1 2-0-2 Totals 4-4-0 10-5-15   After starting two of the last three games for the Big Green, Mello is beginning to cultivate his own reputation and earn consistent time on the ice. In his seven appearances this season, he has posted a .936 save percentage. “When I stepped in this year and got a chance, I couldn’t have been more happy,” Mello said. “I have been waiting for a long time, so it was nice to finally get in.” Mello shares the net with Jody O’Neill ’12, who has earned the majority of total playing time this season in his 17 starts and one partial appearance. The more frequent addition of Mello into the goalie rotation this year is beneficial for the rest of the team, captain Peter Boldt ’10 said. “When [Mello] plays well, it gives the team a lot of confidence,” Boldt said. “We now know we have two goalies we can rely on for the rest of the season.” Earning four starts this season compared to none last year, Mello procured his first collegiate victory on Jan. 23 against a No. 20 Union College team that was ranked first in the ECAC. So far this season, Mello was also thrown into three games in the middle of play, without much preparation. “He is very positionally sound and he is really a calm, patient goaltender,” head coach Bob Gaudet said. “He is not someone who gets rattled. You can see that when he comes into a game, he comes in cool and he has confidence in his abilities.” Mello entered the game in a crucial spot with Dartmouth trailing Harvard University, 3-1, in the second period on Jan. 18. He replaced O’Neill in net and shut out the Crimson for the remainder of the game before an empty net goal led to a 4-1 loss. “It was a way to change the momentum of the game,” Gaudet said. “I don’t like taking the goalies out that much, but sometimes you need to do it. Both goalies have really good abilities and it is who has the hot hand at that time.” Mello’s play against Harvard earned him consecutive starts against Rensselaer Polytechnic University and Union the following weekend, according to Gaudet. Also starting in the 4-3 victory over Quinnipiac University last Friday, Mello was relieved by O’Neill in the third period due to injury. “I got hit on the top of the head,” Mello said. “I felt like I was in a haze. I tried to battle it out, but it comes down to the fact that this year we need our wins.” Last season, Mello clocked only 30:38 in his one appearance. O’Neill, on the other hand, played just over 1795 minutes in net — earning almost 95 percent of the playing time and posting a .923 save percentage. He was named the Ivy League and ECAC Rookie of the Year. “Jody played phenomenally last year and there was no reason why he shouldn’t have played,” Mello said. “It was one of those positions where you just have to wait it out and when you get a chance, you have to produce.” Last year, Mello still played an important role despite the dearth of playing time, Gaudet said. “He pushed Jody to be at his best,” he said. “He made our team better by forcing our guys through practice to work hard to score goals on him.” Rookie netminder Charles Corsi ’13 is “coming along and working really hard,” Gaudet added, but his decision remains between the more experienced Mello and O’Neill. Mello’s path to Dartmouth began when he transferred in his senior year of high school to play with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs in the Eastern Junior Hockey League. After high school, he continued playing during a gap year and was named both the 2008 EJHL Goaltender of the Year and the Playoff MVP. Current teammate Jim Gaudet ’12, who also played for the Monarchs, allowed Mello to forge a connection with his father, Big Green head coach Bob Gaudet. Coach Gaudet noticed Mello’s improvement since his junior hockey days, he said — especially in strength. “He has worked really hard on his conditioning and weight training which has helped him to be a little more explosive and crisper in his movements,” coach Gaudet said. For now, Mello is taking advantage of the opportunity to simply play the sport he grew to love while living next door to one of the greatest goalies of all time. “Honestly, I feel I play my best when I let my mind go blank and I just play hockey,” Mello said. “The times when you do get a chance to go in, you really just have to enjoy it.”   Paul Thompson, Joey (#19) and Jimmy Gaudet (#4) go head to head at the Verizon Arena as UNH and Dartmouth compete in their annual trip to Manchester, NH.     BAUER GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH Brian Foster – New Hampshire Senior Goaltender; Pembroke, N.H. Foster went 5-2-1 in the month allowing two goals or fewer on five occasions in the month. Foster posted a 2.33 GAA and a .928 save percentage. He allowed two goals or fewer on five occasions and he posted 30+ saves three times in the month. Foster was a two-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week during the month. Runners-up: Carter Hutton, UML (Sr., Thunder Bay, Ont.) 3-3-0, 2.00 GAA, .929 save% Kieran Millan, BU (So., Edmonton, Alb.) 4-1-0, 2.81 GAA, .914 save% Jan. Opponent Result Min Svs GA 3 CORNELL L 2-5 57:55 38 4 8 UMASS LOWELL T 2-2 64:53 27 2 9 MASSACHUSETTS W 7-2 59:49 26 2 16 vs. Dartmouth W 5-2 60:00 24 2 22 at Providence W 3-2 62:17 30 2 23 at Boston University W 4-1 60:00 34 1 29 at Merrimack L 2-3 59:03 40 3 30 MERRIMACK W 4-3 64:48 26 3 Totals 5-2-1 488:45 245 19 2.33 GAA, .928 save percentage

Junior forward Zach Joy (Dover, N.H.) of the University of Southern Maine men's  ice hockey team has been recognized by the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic  Conference) Men's East league for his outstanding play during the week of  January 11-17.     It was announced Monday afternoon by the ECAC office that Joy had been  selected as the Player of the Week.  This is Joy's second Player of the Week award this season.  He  previously was picked as the Player of the Week the opening week (November 16- 22) of the season.   In three games last week, Joy scored five goals to help the Huskies go  2-0-1.  He had two goals in the Huskies' 5-2, non-conference win over Suffolk  University, tallies two goals, including the game winner, in a 4-3 win over in- state rival Bowdoin College, and scored the game-tying goal with less than five  minutes to play in a 1-1, overtime tie with Colby College.     Joy leads the Huskies in scoring with 17 goals and two assists for 19  points.  According to the latest national statistics on collegehockeystats.net,  Joy is tied for the Division III national lead in goals per game (1.13).

 

CHEYNE ROCHA COMPLETES BASIC TRAINING AT WEST PONT – August 2009

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Cadet Cheyne Rocha, son of Larry and Candace Rocha of Rye, NH completed Cadet Basic Training (CBT) at the U.S. Military Academy and was accepted into the Corps of Cadets on August 15, 2009.

Cheyne entered West Point June 30 and has successfully completed seven weeks of CBT.   Also referred to as “Beast Barracks,” CBT is one of the most challenging events a cadet will encounter over the course of their four years at the academy.

The initial military training program provides cadets with basic skills to instill discipline, pride, cohesion, confidence and a high sense of duty to prepare them for entry into the Corps of Cadets.  Areas of summer instruction included first aid, mountaineering, hand grenades, rifle marksmanship and nuclear, biological, and chemical training.

Cheyne began classes August 17 at America’s Best College (according to Forbes Magazine).  The West Point curriculum offers 45 majors balancing physical sciences and engineering with humanities and social sciences leading to a Bachelor of Science degree.

Cheyne graduated from St. Paul’s School in 2008 then played a year of Junior hockey with the NH Jr. Monarch in the EJHL.  He plans to graduate from West Point in 2013 and be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

The mission of the U.S. Military Academy is to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.

Former Monarchs defensemen, Dominick Dawes, captures NCAA Division III National Championship in first season as Head Coach.

In only his first season at the helm, Neumann’s championship makes Knights’ head coach Dominick Dawes only the second person to ever win a Division III title as both a player and a head coach. It was only six years ago he won it as a player as he was a junior at Norwich when the Cadets won the 2003 national championship.

The only person to previously have accomplished this feat is current St. Norbert head coach Tim Coghlin. Coghlin was a senior defenseman and captained University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to its first national title in 1989, and scored the title as coach with St. Norbert just last year.

“It’s a great accomplishment and it feels good,” he said of the unique claim to fame.

“But I have to thank [Neumann] for giving me the opportunity to lead these guys. I also have to thank [Norwich head coach Mike] McShane for dragging me to Norwich and having those teams he had back there.”

When it comes to winning his title in his first season, Dawes was quick to pass the credit down to those who came before him and built the Knights into a national power in less than a decade.

“This is tremendous and it’s obviously a great accomplishment,” explained Dawes. “But I was pretty fortunate to step into this group. No other [coach] has been fortunate enough to step into a group like this that had this much ability.”

“These guys had the ability when I got here. It was just a matter of coming together and doing it,” he added.

With a national championship in his pocket less than eight months into his head coaching career, Dawes has certainly set the bar high for himself and the Neumann program. Keeping the bar at the lofty heights it now sits at will be the next challenge for Dawes—especially considering the Knights will lose 14 players to graduation this spring.

“From here it’s going to be finding guys to replace this group,” he said regarding the near future. “It’s going to take some work because there are some pretty good players in this group, but we have to go find some players, replace these guys, and get back here.

“These seniors are the guys who made us one of the best teams in the nation over the past couple seasons.”

For now, at least, the “one of the” can be dropped from his comment as the Dawes’ led Knights will forever be in the books as the best team of the 2009 season.

 

 

 

Saint Michael’s captain, Chris Healey, accepts the 2009
Northeast – 10 Championship Trophy and presents it to a sell out crowd at Cairns Arena in South Burlington, VT.  Healey was named to the ALL-Tournament Team as well as the Second Team All Conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brian Foster named Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for
February 2009

Brian Foster –
New Hampshire
Junior Goaltender; Pembroke, N.H.
Foster went 6-1-1 in the month with a 1.86 GAA and a .932 save percentage. He allowed two goals or less on six of eight including ending the month with his third shutout of the season, fifth of his career. Foster’s lone loss of the month came as Maine captured a 1-0 win on Feb. 7 on a short-handed one-on-none goal. Foster had 20+ saves in all eight games including a pair of 30+ save performances. Foster ended the month by winning his final five games and was unbeaten in the last six games. He ended the month with 26 saves in a 1-0 shutout win of Merrimack on Feb. 28.

 

 

Rheault Gets The Call, Signs
PTO With Monarchs

MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Monarchs, the primary affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, have re-signed right wing Jon Rheault to a professional tryout agreement, Monarchs Director of Hockey Operations Hubie McDonough announced today. Rheault, 22, appeared in seven games with the Monarchs at the beginning of this season, recording his first professional goal against the Lowell Devils at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester’s 4-3 shootout loss on October 29.  He collected one point (1-0=1) and four penalty minutes while playing for the Monarchs.  Rheault graduated from Providence College in May following four seasons and 142 games.  The 5-foot-11, 200-pound native of Deering, New Hampshire, registered 56 goals and 49 assists for 105 points and 126 penalty minutes with the Friars.  Rheault played with the Manchester Flames and the Junior Monarchs before going to Providence College.  He joined the ECHL’s Ontario Reign in early November when the Monarchs released him from his tryout.  While playing for Ontario, Rheault collected 14 points (5-9=14) and 29 penalty minutes in 16 games.

Congratulations to Chris Higgins
on his 100th career point

 

 

 

 

 

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

BRIAN FLYNN - MAINE
Freshman Forward; Lynnfield, Mass.

Flynn notched the game-winning goal for the Black Bears in the 2-1 win vs. No. 2 BC on Sunday afternoon with 1:34 left in the game.

 

 

Brian Foster named Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for October 2008

Brian Foster –
New Hampshire
Junior Goaltender; Pembroke, N.H.
Foster led No. 6 New Hampshire with a 4-1-1 record in the month with a 1.49 GAA and a .951 save percentage with three wins against nationally ranked opponents. He allowed two goals or less in five of those six starts. Foster registered at least 30 saves in four games for the Wildcats. He totaled a season-high 38 saves in the 1-1 tied with UMass on Oct. 24. Foster shutout Rensselaer, 1-0, on Oct. 27 at the Whittemore Center for his third career shutout with the ‘Cats.

 

 

Chris Higgins receives the
LEN CEGLARSKI AWARD for INDIVIDUAL SPORTSMANSHIP

This award, named in honor of retired Boston College Head Coach Len Ceglarski, is given by the league to one player who has consistently demonstrated superior conduct and sportsmanship on the ice. The directors of Hockey East established the Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award in 1992. Each school nominates one player. The award is then voted upon by head coaches, sports information directors and league officials.