The Division 1 hockey schedule for New England teams may be taking a week off, but the action is just heating up for a handful of regional natives competing for spots on the U.S. National Junior Team.
Two of the three Massachusetts natives on the preliminary U.S. roster are in the midst of strong freshman seasons for Hockey East power Providence College in forward Jay O’Brien (Hingham) and defenseman Michael Callahan (Franklin).
Providence head coach Nate Leaman is excited for O’Brien and Callahan, who look to become the second and third Friars to represent the U.S. at World Juniors in the last three years. Thirteen Providence players have competed at the tournament in the past. However, Leaman feels that USA Hockey’s scouting presence, led locally by former Northeastern and Dartmouth head coach Ben Smith (Gloucester, Mass.), was a benefit to his entire team.
“Jay has been on the radar, obviously, for a long time and had a very, very good camp (at the World Junior Summer Showcase),” Leaman said of the former Thayer Academy star and Flyers first-round draft pick who has been limited to just 10 games this season due to injury. “But I was excited for a number of guys because (USA Hockey was scouting) at our last eight games.”
O’Brien has come on strong lately as both of his collegiate points to date came in the Friars’ last two games, including the Dec. 1 game-winning goal at New Hampshire.
Through the scouting process, general manager John Vanbiesbrouck, Smith, and the USA Hockey staff as a whole made their vision for the roster clear. On the back end, Callahan ― who has logged a goal and four assists through 16 collegiate games ― fits the defensive-minded game that was being sought.
“They knew exactly what they wanted. They weren’t looking for a Ben Mirageas (Newburyport, Mass.) or a more offensive guy,” Leaman said. “I think the more and more they watched Michael the more and more they were impressed with his game, his decisions, and his strengths to shut plays down. He's got a good stick in transition and a really good mind to read through plays.”
O’Brien and Callahan, who was Arizona’s fifth-round pick this summer, join Yale defenseman Phil Kemp (Greenwich, Conn.) and future Boston College goaltender Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) as the New Englanders currently skating in camp for the Americans, who open World Junior exhibition play Thursday night against Russia in Kamloops, B.C.
In addition, the roster includes six others from New England-based colleges.
Comings and goings
When semesters change from fall to spring, roster transactions can follow in college hockey.
Providence added Marblehead, Mass., native twin brothers Matt and Kyle Koopman to its roster for the second half of the season. Both played three prep seasons at Berkshire School. Matt, a forward, comes most recently from the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks, while Kyle, a defenseman, has played the last two seasons for the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors.
Maine announced the addition of defenseman Jakub Sirota last week. The native of the Czech Republic started this season with the NAHL’s Lone Star Brahmas, recording four goals and 26 assists in 57 games.
On the departure front, forward Brandon Schultz left Northeastern after playing in six games as a sophomore. Schultz has been removed from the Huskies’ roster. NEHJ’s Jeff Cox reported that news as well as the expected departure of Boston College freshman defenseman Adam Samuelsson, who played in just seven games.
Burlington, Vt., native Ben Finkelstein is eligible to join the BC blue line to start the second semester after transferring from St. Lawrence.
Loose pucks
― Strong runs of play were on the line last Tuesday when Yale visited UMass to conclude the first semester. The Bulldogs had their six-gamer (5-0-1) snapped with a 5-2 loss to the Minutemen, who are on an 11-1 run since an Oct. 20 loss at then-No. 1 Ohio State.
UMass sophomore Jake Gaudet scored his first two goals of the season, while Yale junior Robbie DeMontis netted his first. Duxbury, Mass., native and former Nobles standout Luke Stevens opened the Bulldog scoring with his fourth goal of the season 32 seconds into the third period. DeMontis tied the game before the hosts scored three unanswered goals to win.
― Boston University had lost three consecutive games to Dartmouth dating back to 2006 before Friday’s 4-1 home win. In addition to defenseman Cam Crotty flew cross-continent from Canada’s World Junior camp and scored in the same day, and Patrick Harper (New Canaan, Conn.) scoring his first goal of junior year, freshman Matthew Quercia (Andover, Mass.) logged his first collegiate point on classmate Joel Farabee’s goal in that game.
