University of Massachusets Athletics
Hockey Hosts New Brunswick On Saturday Afternoon (3 PM)
October 01, 2010 | Hockey
Oct. 1, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass Hockey team will open up the 2010-11 season on Saturday with an exhibition match against the University of New Brunswick. This will be the third straight season that the Mass Attack and the Varsity Reds have squared off in a pre-season tilt. Saturday's game will be held at the Mullins Center Practice Rink with the puck scheduled to drop at 3 PM.
Following the game, fans can stick around for the annual Skate With The Minutemen. The event is free as fans can skate on the ice with the team and coaching staff, get autographs and take photos with the Mass Attack and Sam The Minuteman.
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW
• The Minutemen head into 2010-11 with the loss of their top five scorers from last season. That group accounted for 177 of UMass' 289 points and 62 of UMass' 105 goals.
• T.J. Syner and Rocco Carzo are the team's top returning scorers. Syner had 8 goals and 12 assists last season giving him 15 and 18, respectively, in 64 career games. Carzo was named the team's Rookie of the Year after scoring six goals and six assists in 32 games.
• Senior forwards Marc Concannon, Danny Hobbs, Brian Keane, Chase Langeraap, Michael Lecomte, and Shawn Saunders have all contributed throughout their careers, but will be looked to for increased scoring productivity in 2010-11.
• Along with Carzo, sophomores Kevin Czepiel and Eddie Olczyk saw significant action last season and will be counted on to make an impact this season.
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW
• UMass graduated its top two defensemen in All-American Justin Braun and Academic All-American Martin Nolet in 2009-10 coupled with the departure of sophomore Matt Irwin to the NHL. Senior Doug Kublin and junior Michael Marcou are the top returning defensemen entering 2010-11. Sophomore Darren Rowe played in 26 games last season, while fellow sophomore Mike Donnellan played in eight. After redshirting 2009-10, Minnesota native Anthony Raiola will be available in the pairings this season. Four freshmen defensemen join the squad in Conor Allen (6-1, 203), Colin Shea (6-2, 170), Adam Phillips (6-6, 184), and Joel Hanley (6-0, 180).
• In goal, UMass returns senior netminder Paul Dainton who has proven capable and dependable throughout his career. The British Columbia native has a 2.70 career GAA and a .908 save percentage in 91 games. Backing up Dainton will be junior Kevin Moore and freshman Jeff Teglia. Moore has been with the team for the past two years, but has not received any game action. Teglia was an 2010 USHL All-Star with the Omaha Lancers.
Five Minutemen Go Pro Following 2009-10 Season
• Justin Braun, Matt Irwin, James Marcou, Will Ortiz, and Casey Wellman all turned pro following the 2009-10 season. Braun, Irwin and Marcou signed with the San Jose Sharks, while Wellman signed with the Minnesota Wild. Ortiz signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL helping them win the Kelly Cup Championship.
• Irwin, Marcou and Wellman all left school early to sign pro. Wellman jumped straight to the Wild, while Braun, Irwin and Marcou played for the Worcester Sharks of the AHL.
Hello, Nice To Meet You
• UMass lost six players from 2009-10 to graduation and three underclassmen to the professional ranks. To replace those players, the Minutemen welcome in 13 freshmen to the program for 2010-11.
• Along with six sophomores, the Minutemen have 19 underclassmen on the squad.
• The Mass Attack has seven members of its senior class along with four juniors.
1510 The Zone To Carry UMass Hockey In Boston
• Fans in Boston will be able to listen to select UMass hockey games and Coach Don Cahoon's weekly radio show on WWZN AM 1510 "The Zone" this season. The Zone joins WRNX 100.9 FM in Springfield - the flagship radios station of the UMass Sports Network - in carrying the Minutemen this season.
Streaming Video Updates; CBS To Air UMass Hockey
• UMass launched a new streaming video platform over the summer enhancing fans ability to watch the Minutemen all season long. The Flash-based video player will work on any computer and is presented in a wide-screen format.
• In addition to the updates to the streaming video, UMass will also air select games throughout the year on CBS' digital cable channel throughout Western Massachusetts bring the Mass Attack to your television.
NOTES ON SCHEDULE
• A pair of games at both Minnesota and Wisconsin along with the Hockey East slate highlight the 2010-11 UMass men's hockey schedule. The Mass Attack will open the season with an exhibition game against New Brunswick on Oct. 2 in the Mullins Center Practice Rink. The Minutemen open their home schedule on Oct. 22 against Boston University.
• The regular season kicks off with the trip to Minnesota (10/8-9) - the first time the teams have played each other since 2004. The 2004 meeting was the only other time they have played with the Gophers winning 1-0 in Minneapolis.
• The Minutemen's other big trip will be a pair of games at Wisconsin on Dec. 30-31 to start the second half of the season. The Badgers have won both previous meetings which occurred in 2000 (9-6, 3-0) and lost to Boston College in the 2009-10 NCAA Championship Game.
• 14 of the 17 home games will be against Hockey East foes. The Minutemen will host Providence on Oct. 29 as part of the traditional Halloween weekend with the Friars. The annual pre-Thanksgiving game against Vermont will be in the Mullins Center on Nov. 23, while the final home game until 2011 will be on Dec. 4 against UMass Lowell.
• While the Minutemen are on the road for much of the first half of the season, the 2011 half of the schedule will have UMass in the Mullins Center on 10 occasions including six of the final eight regular-season games.
• After a stretch of road games in January and early February, UMass will host Boston University (2/11), Providence (2/12), Merrimack (2/18), defending National Champion Boston College (2/25), and Maine (3/4-5).
• The Hockey East Quarterfinals are set to be played on March 11-13 at the campus sites of the top four teams. The top eight teams in the 10-school league qualify for the playoffs.
GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY
• The 2010-11 UMass roster features players from 14 different states and Canadian provinces. From Massachusetts to California, UMass has a diverse group of players from across North America.
• Eight Minutemen hail from Massachusetts while three represent Illinois, New York, Ontario, and Quebec.
• Darren Rowe has the longest journey to get to UMass. Rowe's drive from Simi Valley, near Los Angeles, would also take roughly two days to complete.
MINUTEMEN EARN ACADEMIC HONORS
• 13 players earned Hockey East All-Academic honors in 2009-10 giving UMass the most among the league membership. This was the fifth consecutive season the UMass had 10-or-more student-athletes honored on the team.
• Djan Lefebvre was also named to the Hockey East Academic All-Star Team for having the highest grade point average among all league defensemen.
• Martin Nolet and Brett Watson were named "Distinguished Scholars" for posting a 3.0 GPA for every semester of their career.
• Michael Lecomte, James Marcou, T.J. Syner and Casey Wellman were UMass' other honorees who had acheived academic success for multiple seasons.
THE BUD LIGHT UMASS HOCKEY SHOW AT THE HANGAR
• For the 11th consecutive season The Hangar Pub and Grill, on University Drive in Amherst, will serve as the setting of the Bud Light UMass Hockey Show. John Hennessy and Brock Hines host the weekly show which is broadcast live on WRNX 100.9 FM.
• The show begins at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday nights (see schedule below), and features segments on upcoming opponents, discussion of past games and insight into Hockey East as a whole. It also features weekly appearances by UMass players.
2010-11 Show Schedule
Day - Date - Upcoming Opponent(s) - Show Time
Tues. - Oct. 5 - Minnesota - 7 PM
Tues. - Oct. 19 - Boston University - 7 PM
Tues. - Oct. 26 - Providence - 7 PM
Tues. - Nov. 9 - New Hampshire - 7 PM
Tues. - Nov. 30 - UMass Lowell - 7 PM
Tues. - Jan. 4 - Northeastern/New Hampshire - 7 PM
Tues. - Jan. 11 - UMass Lowell - 7 PM
Tues. - Jan. 18 - Vermont - 7 PM
Tues. - Jan. 25 - Northeastern - 7 PM
Tues. - Feb. 1 - Boston College/Merrimack - 7 PM
Tues. - Feb. 8 - Boston Univ./Providence - 7 PM
Tues. - Feb. 15 - Merrimack - 7 PM
Tues. - Feb. 22 - Boston College - 7 PM
Tues. - Mar. 1 - Maine - 7 PM
Wed. - Mar. 8 - Hockey East Quarterfinals - 7 PM
