Warren Strelow Camp features two local goaltenders

Many of the top young goaltenders in the United States are at the Warren Strelow National Goaltending Camp at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. this week.

Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass.) and Keith Petruzzelli (Wilbraham, Mass.) are the lone New England natives at the prestigious camp that is going on from August 14-17.

The camp is named after the late Warren Strelow, a former NHL goalie coach who served in that same capacity for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, according to USA Hockey's press release on the matter. Several New England natives are serving as mentors or coaches throughout the four-day camp, including Dartmouth assistant David Lassonde (Durham, N.H.), Michigan State assistant Joe Exter (Cranston, R.I.), and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending coach Mike Buckley (Haverhill, Mass.).

Commesso, an ’02, is slated to play the next two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program after starring at St. Sebastian’s for two seasons. He’s committed to play college hockey at Boston University.

Petruzzelli, a ’99, is entering his sophomore season at Quinnipiac. Formerly of Springfield Cathedral and Selects Academy, he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2017 NHL Draft following a stellar season with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.

Boston College commit and NTDP U18 star Spencer Knight (Darien, Conn.) was invited to the camp, but declined due to his busy schedule this summer that included the World Junior Summer Showcase.

Several other goaltenders with ties to the region are at the Warren Strelow National Goaltending Camp as well: Avon Old Farms junior and Providence commit Alex Aslanidis, Boston Bruins prospect Kyle Keyser of the Oshawa Generals, Providence commit Jacob Kucharski of the Des Moines Buccaneers, Maine commit Joshua Langford of Dallas Stars Elite, Northeastern sophomore Cayden Primeau, and Merrimack recruit Christian Stoever of the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights.

While not at the Warren Strelow National Goaltending Camp, New Canaan, Conn., native Brendan Holahan cemented his status as one of the top ’04 goaltenders in the country with his performance at the recently completed STX 68 Combine. The Mid Fairfield goaltender also fared well at the recent Crimson Combine at Harvard’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center.

Norwood, Mass., native and Thayer Academy goaltender Gavin Fitzpatrick got the start in game one of the Five Nations Tournament today. The ’02 is currently on the U.S. Under 17 Men’s Select Team that is competing in Slovakia against four other countries.