MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — In our first story, we examined the uncommitted forwards from the 16U level who stood out the most at the Beast Fall Classic. There were many strong members of the offense who showed well.
There were many defenders (and one goalie) who performed well in my viewing of the 16Us, too.
Even with many college coaches in Blaine, Minn., for the NAHL Showcase, there were still many colleges in attendance at the Beast this past weekend.
It's an interesting year for players at the 16U level. All are looking to round out their games for two reasons: to stand out for colleges and be impact players at the prep or high school levels this winter.
Here are the three games I watched:
- Avon Regals 16U vs. Neponset Valley River Rats 16U
- Mid Fairfield 16U vs. East Coast Militia 16U
- Long Island Gulls 16U vs. Yale Jr. Bulldogs 16U
Here are six uncommitted defensemen and goalies who stood out in those games:
Tommy Bleyl (23)
Mid Fairfield, 12/1/2007, D, right shot, 5-10/154
Hometown: Schenectady, N.Y.Â
From what I've seen, Bleyl is one of the top 16U defensemen in the region. He scored two goals on Saturday. The first came when he dipped into the slot and knocked in a rebound; the second came on the power play when he rifled a one-timer past the Militia netminder. He's constantly calm breaking the puck out of his own zone and evades forecheckers well. A strength of his is defending the rush. Midway through the first half, he made a key interception in the neutral zone, stopping an odd-man rush for the Militia.
Nathan DiChiara (7)
Yale Jr. Bulldogs, 4/12/2007, D, right shot, 6-1/165
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn.Â
DiChiara was far from flashy, but he got the job done. He gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead early in the first half when he scored on a rebound. I really liked his play in his own zone, especially on the penalty kill. On an early Gulls power play, DiChiara had a crucial block and later a stick lift in front to prevent a scoring chance. He should be a reliable defenseman for head coach Dale Reinhardt at Kent this winter.
Evan Handler (9)
Neponset Valley River Rats, 3/19/2007, D, right shot, 5-9/150
Hometown: Walpole, Mass.Â
Handler's puck-moving abilities at the offensive blue line and coming out of his own zone stood out most against the Avon Regals. A shot of his from the point was stopped early in the first half, but put in by Trevor Pellecchia (Leominster, Mass.). He quarterbacked one of two River Rats power play units and diligently looked for passing seams around the net and for teammates to tip his shot. When he had the puck in his own zone, he showed his ability to avoid pressure as a smaller defenseman and make smart passes.
Steven Luciano (29)
Mid Fairfield, 3/1/2007, G, catches left, 6-1/179
Hometown: New Canaan, Conn.Â
Luciano's poise in net was one of the main reasons why Mid Fairfield escaped with a 3-2 win over the Militia. He was square to shooters and had strong rebound control. His glove was also a strength. With the game on the line late, he robbed Militia forward Matthew Homer (Norton, Mass.) and later made two key stops from right above the crease. Luciano will play his first season at Salisbury this winter.
James Odyniec (26)
Avon Regals, 1/2/2007, D, right shot, 6-0/180
Hometown: Wilson, Conn.Â
Odyniec did a nice job of using his size and good stick to shut down the opposition in his own zone. He was active in the offensive zone, most notably in the first half when he burst through the opposing defense and made a nice pass across the slot on a 2-on-1. Odyniec should vie for playing time at Avon Old Farms this winter where Joe, his older brother, just graduated.
Jared Petruso (8)
Long Island Gulls, 2007, D, right shot, 5-9/150Â
Petruso showcased good skating on Saturday, using his quick feet and edgework to get out of trouble. He had a lot of poise with the puck and because of his strong skating, he was able to evade pressure and find the right play to make with the puck.
