2015-2016 SEASON PREVIEW: NOW IS THE TIME

All-American Chase Nieuwendyk provides
plenty of firepower

The Brockport Golden Eagles had a standout season in 2014-2015, going 13-12-2 overall, while finishing 6-8-2 in conference play. After securing the sixth and final playoff spot, they manhandled their greatest rival Geneseo in the first round and came so, so close to upsetting the Plattsburgh Cardinals in the second round, tying the game in the third before falling 7-5 (Plattburgh’s seventh goal was last minute empty netter).

We got a taste for such electric and competitive play during the regular season, when the Golden Eagles tied powerhouse Oswego 4-4 and twice scared Plattsburgh in what were Brockport losses (0-1 and 3-4 scores).

In all of those games, including the playoffs, Brockport was just one goal, one mistake, one moment away from possibly snaring a victory. Things could have so easily gone the Golden Eagle’s way in any of those (and other) affairs. That’s how close Brockport is to going to the next level and becoming SUNYAC champions – and maybe something more.

After having lost just four players to graduation at the end of the season (albeit major contributors), what remained from the 2014-2015 roster is intact and the coaches, once again, recruited some top-level talent.

Brockport was in the top half of DIII teams when it came to scoring last year, their 3.11 goals per game good for 32^nd in the country. 27 of their 84 goals came on the power play, which had that specialty unit ranked 14^th in the country, and 2^nd in the SUNYAC after Oswego. The team was well-balanced, with 6 men having 6 or more goals, and 10 having 10 or more points.

Despite that balance, the team’s offensive success is heavily reliant on one man – Chase Nieuwendyk. While no other Golden Eagle lit the lamp more than 7 times, Nieuwendyk found the back of the net an amazing 18 times (the 14^th best output in the whole country). Of those, 9 were with the man advantage, good for 2^nd in the nation. With 12 assists to go with them, he amassed 30 points. Especially awesome was his line in SUNYAC play, 11-8-19 in 16 conference games. That led to his being chosen for the All-SUNYAC first team while becoming just the second All-American in Brockport hockey history (after the great James Cody), getting Third Team East honors. Nieuwendyk is now in his senior season, so appreciate his play while you can – he is an amazing talent; fast and creative, there are 5 or 6 times a game when your jaw drops while watching him trying to make something out of nothing. 

While the statistical gap between him and the rest of the forwards is vast, that doesn’t mean Brockport is lacking in firepower. Some guys should see their numbers grow quite well. Ryan Kangas had a great freshman season, posting a 6-15-21 line. His maturation on the ice, and being paired with Nieuwendyk for a whole season should see both his goals scored and assists rise this year. There’s no sophomore slump in the cards for this talented kid.

Expect to see good numbers from fellow sophomore Dylan Shapiro. His 4-4-8 line belied his talent last year. His effortless flow to the puck and net last year put some of the conference’s bigger d-men to shame. He should capitalize on that and get some goals this year. Likewise for second year player Zac Sikich who had 6 goals as a freshman and can get shots off quickly…he has double-digit goal talent and is willing to take shots from tougher angles.

As for upperclassman, look for big things out of Jeremy DeFazio, James Ryan, and Jake Taylor. DeFazio’s output has been increasing every year and last season the hard-charging forward – who is a treat to watch -- hustled his way to a 5-9-14 line. 20 points is not out of the question. Ryan was outstanding on the power play last year, getting 5 such goals, while netting 7 overall. He had 8 goals the previous season and is always Johnny-on-the-spot; the kid could be deadly in an extended playoff run. Taylor, who will be a junior, had another solid season. After scoring 10 goals as a freshman, he had a 6-10-16 line last season, with 11 points in SUNYAC games. He could certainly surpass his freshman totals this season, especially with a slapshot like his.

The offense gets a lot of support from an atypical place – the blue line. Defenseman Chris Luker had another brilliant offensive season – he followed up his 9-13-22 sophomore season with a 4-19-23 campaign and First Team All-SUNYAC honors for the second season in a row. A very strong case can be made that he deserved All-American recognition, especially last season when he was 7^th in the nation in points among defensemen and he had already established himself as a great two-way defenseman. That slight will be a great motivator for Luker, who, when he puts his mind to something, can be transformative: Consider his freshman year when he led the team with 44 penalty minutes – in the years that followed had just 14 and 8, and became the most decorated d-man in Brockport history. I don’t know how a blueliner can build on consecutive 20-point seasons, but he will. All-American honors would be the icing on the cake for a great career.  

Luker is joined by a solid supporting cast. Jonathan Demme is the team captain this year and is a “defenseman’s defenseman.” He doesn’t put up big numbers (no goals and 4 assists last year), but he doesn’t have to. It’s not his job. His duty is to contain the conference’s biggest threats, something he does quite well and without sloppiness – he had just 10 penalty minutes last season and only 4 in SUNYAC play (he doesn’t make mistakes). Robbie Hall saw a lot of ice time last season and with the graduation of Bobby Chayka, it will be on him and Brian Hurlimann to fill the void of physicality. Hall could surprise and provide some fireworks from the blue line…he has the potential to post a 12 point season.

If and when the pucks get past the defensemen, Brockport has a great #1 in goal. There should be no worries even though the team lost to graduation Aaron Green who had a brilliant senior season and finished off a very nice career that put him near the top in all of the key statistical categories. Senior Jared Lockhurst came into the NCAA with great fanfare and admiration, especially from opposing coaches who publically sang his praises and, he began each of his first three seasons as the starter. But, the injury bug seems to have always had other plans for Lockhurst and he has often found himself watching. When healthy, he has been brilliant with save percentages of .919 as a freshman, .903 as a sophomore, and .910 as a junior. Due to injuries (and, last year, Green’s hot hand), Lockhurst had been limited to 14, 14 and 10 games. If he can stay injury-free this year, expect him to be in .920 territory. He has excellent mechanics, positioning and attitude -- he has preternatural calmness on the ice.

In the offseason, Coaches Brian Dickinson and Stephen Mallaro recruited 2 goaltenders among their 7 pick-ups to back-up Lockhurst. Here’s the skinny on all of the recruits…

Trevor Simonick (defenseman):   http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/07/simoniock-commits-to-brockport.html

 

Nick Palumbo (defenseman): http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/02/palumbo-commits-to-brockport.html

Tim Keilich (forward): http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/07/kielich-to-play-for-golden-eagles.html

Connar Bass (defenseman): http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/07/brockport-recruits-big-blueliner.html

Cole Burack (goalie): http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/01/burack-commits-to-brockport.html

Jake Moore (goalie): http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/07/moore-recruited-by-brockport.html

Jamie Lukas (forward): http://brockporthockey.blogspot.com/2015/01/lukas-commits-to-brockport.html

It’s an excellent recruiting class, one that addresses some weaknesses and areas of need while preparing for the future. Preparing for the future is critical, as after this season the team will be without the likes of Demme, Lockhurst, Luker, Nieuwendyk, DeFazio, Ryan, Chad Cummings, and Jesse Facchini. That’s a lot of talent to lose in one year, especially when you are talking about 2 guys who rank among the very best in the whole country.

But, that’s something to worry about next year.

For now, we have each of those guys. And, what a blessing it is, as we have them at their primes – it’s normally the case that NCAA hockey players are at their pinnacle as seniors. If that’s true this year, the sky’s the limit. This is certainly a team with the mental and physical make-ups to make it to the SUNYAC championship and beyond.

Of all the years that I’ve watched Brockport hockey (this will be my 23^rd season in the stands), this is the team that I’ve had the most hope for. All the pieces are there. Their time is now.

Count my words, 2015-2016 will be something special.   

2015-2016 ROSTER

2	Rob Hall		Jr.	Defense	5-11	185	Schaumberg, Ill.	Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
4	Chad Cummings		Sr.	Defense	6-5	205	Caledon, ONT	Wellington Dukes (OJHL)
5	Trevor Simonick		Fr.	Defense	6-2	198	Amherst, N.Y.	Niagara Falls Canucks (GOJHL)
6	David Horan		So.	Forward	6-0	180	Kennebunk, Maine	Hartford Jr. Wolfpack (OJHL)
7	Chris Luker		Sr.	Defense	6-4	215	New Hartford, NY	Buffalo Jr. Sabres (OJHL)
8	Matt Meredith		So.	Forward	6-2	185	Fredonia, N.Y.	New Jersey Titans (EHL)
9	Nick Palumbo		Fr.	Defense	5-7	155	Woodbridge, ONT	Mississauga Chargers (OJHL)
10	Aidan Verbeke		So.	Forward	6-0	170	Elmwood Park, Ill.	Granite City Lumberjacks (NA3HL)
11	Tim Kielich		Fr.	Forward	6-0	175	East Aurora, N.Y.	Buffalo Jr. Sabres (OJHL)
12	Zac Sikich		So.	Forward	5-11	180	Oak Park, Calif.	Granite City Lumberjacks (NA3HL)
14	RJ Sciarrone		So.	Defense	5-10	185	Webster, N.Y.	Port Colborne Pirates (GOJHL)
17	Jonathan Demme	C	Sr.	Defense	6-3	190	Brampton, ONT	Orangeville Flyers (OJHL)
18	Ryan Kangas		So.	Forward	5-10	175	Williamstown, MASS.	Hartford Jr. Wolfpack (EHL)
19	Dylan Shapiro		So.	Forward	6-2	190	Rochester, N.Y.	Rochester Jr. Americans (USPHL)
20	Jeremy DeFazio		Sr.	Forward	6-1	195	Oakville, ONT	Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)
21	Brian Hurlimann		So.	Defense	6-0	200	Hilton, N.Y.	Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
22	Jake Taylor		Jr.	Forward	5-8	165	Port Perry, ONT	Lindsay Muskies (OJHL)
24	Jesse Facchini		Sr.	Forward	6-0	185	Mississauga, ONT	Mississauga Chargers (OJHL)
25	Andrew Parks		Jr.	Forward	6-0	190	Orillia, ONT	Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
26	James Ryan		Sr.	Forward	5-6	160	Richmond Hill, ONT	Toronto Lakeshore Patriots (OJHL)
27	Connar Bass		Fr.	Defense	6-4	204	Calgary, AB	WayWayseecappo Wolverines (MJHL)
30	Jared Lockhurst		Sr.	Goalie	6-0	185	Caledon, ONT	Wellington Dukes (OJHL)
31	Cole Burack		Fr.	Goalie	5-10	160	Rockwall, Texas	New Hampshire Monarchs (EHL)
35	Jake Moore		Fr.	Goalie	5-11	175	Arcade, N.Y.	Springfield Pics (USPHL Premier)
81	Chase Nieuwendyk		Sr.	Forward	6-0	180	Georgetown, ONT	Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
91	Jamie Lukas		Fr.	Forward	6-1	176	Collegeville, P.A.	Hartford Jr. Wolfpack (EHL)

GERSHON JOINS RMU COACHING STAFF

Michael Gershon was an impressive, hard-hitting defenseman for the Golden Eagles who graduated in 2009. He was a top-notch blueliner who scored a hat trick in 7-2 demolition of Geneseo in 2008 and was awarded Second Team All-SUNYAC honors that same season.

Robert Morris made the following announcement today:

The Robert Morris University men's hockey team announced today that Michael Gershon has joined the staff as a volunteer assistant coach.

Gershon comes to the Colonials from the North American Hockey League's Keystone Ice Miners, where he served as head coach, president and general manager during the 2014-15 season.

Gershon was previously head coach and general manager of the NAHL's Port Huron Fighting Falcons for two seasons, overseeing the relocation and rebranding of the team as the Keystone franchise in Connellsville, Pa. Prior to becoming head coach and general manager, Gershon served as the Falcons assistant coach for one season.

"We are very pleased that Michael has joined our staff," said head coach Derek Schooley. "To be able to add a coach with three years of junior hockey head coaching experience will not only add to our players' development but add to our staff's development."

"Mike has a good hockey mind and we are excited to have him work with the Colonial Hockey program," said Schooley.

As a three-year NAHL head coach, Gershon led the development and advancement of his players, moving 21 players into the college hockey ranks. In those three seasons, Gershon coached his team to three consecutive NAHL postseason appearances including an NAHL North Division Title at Port Huron. Gershon compiled an 88-57-19 record in those three seasons, serving as a both a head coach and assistant coach for NAHL Top Prospects games.

A former NCAA Division III defenseman, Gershon graduated from SUNY-Brockport with a degree in Communcations in 2009. Gershon was named second-team All-SUNYAC in the 2008-09 season and served as an assistant captain during his senior campaign.

Gershon played professionally in the ECHL on the Wheeling Nailers defense in 2010-2011 and for the IHL's Port Huron Icehawks in 2009-10.

BROCKPORT RECRUITS BIG BLUELINER

Brockport picked up a big, physical defenseman in Connar Bass, who is 6'4" tall and 200 pounds. The 21 year old hails from Calgary and has spent some time in the Juniors throughout Canada, even making a  stop at Flin Flon, the same team that produced Bobby Clarke.

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011-12	Olds Grizzlys	AJHL	1	0	0	0	0
2012-13	Olds Grizzlys	AJHL	46	1	3	4	42
2013-14	Calgary Mustangs	AJHL	12	0	2	2	23
2013-14	Flin Flon Bombers	SJHL	14	0	1	1	12
2013-14	Waywayseecappo Wolverines	MJHL	30	1	7	8	26
2014-15	Waywayseecappo Wolverines	MJHL	59	2	17	19	42

SIMONICK COMMITS TO BROCKPORT

The Niagara Falls Canucks announced that Trevor Simonick will be playing for the Brockport Golden Eagles beginning in the 2015-2016 season. Trevor, an assistant captain this past season, was 3rd on the team in scoring with 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points. The smooth skating, offensive defenseman split time between forward and defense for the Canucks, and was an anchor on the team's powerplay.

Simonick is a physical presence at 6'2" tall and 200 pounds. He is 21 and hails from Amherst, NY.

KIELICH TO PLAY FOR GOLDEN EAGLES

Among the pick-ups for the 2015-2016 season is Tim Kielich. Tim is 21 years old, 6 feet tall and 175 pounds. He hails from East Aurora, NY. After playing for St. Francis, he spent 4 seasons with the Buffalo Junior Sabres under the tutelage of general manager and head coach Michael Peca.

He has sported solid numbers throughout his career, and doesn't spend a lot of time in the penalty box. He has a knack for elevating his game with clutch goals in tight games or in the playoffs which will make him a welcome addition to the Golden Eagles as they battle SUNYAC foes.

			Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011-12	Buffalo Jr. Sabres		45	13	15	28	24		7	3	3	6	0
2012-13	Buffalo Jr. Sabres		49	10	17	27	28		10	0	1	1	0
2013-14	Buffalo Jr. Sabres		52	8	15	23	19		11	4	3	7	0
2014-15	Buffalo Jr. Sabres		54	16	21	37	12		7	2	2	4	0

MOORE RECRUITED BY BROCKPORT

With Aaron Green having graduated in May and Andrew Winsor having left the Golden Eagles after the first semester of the 2014-2015 season, restocking the goaltending ranks was paramount for the team as only Jared Lockhurst remains.

A recent recruit is a local one. Jake Moore, 21, was born in Arcade, New York. The 6'1" 205 goalie had spent this past season with the Springfield Pics of the USPHL during which he went 5-25 with a 4.91 goals against average and a .869 save percentage.

Here are Jake's statistics...

Season	Team		GP	A	PIM	Min	GA	EN	SO	GAA	W	L	T	Svs	Pct
2012-13	Youngstown Phantoms		8	0	0	427	27	0	0	3.79	4	2	0	142	0.840
2012-13	Duluth Clydesdales		12	0	0
2013-14	Youngstown Phantoms		6	0	0	364	32	0	0	5.28	1	4	1	160	0.833
2013-14	Johnstown Tomahawks		13	0	0	607	30	0	0	2.96	5	5	0	310	0.912
2014-15	Springfield Pics		49	0	0	1772	145	0	0	4.91	5	25	0	958	0.869

GOLF TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION FORM (CLICK ON IMAGES TO EXPAND)

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Mark you calendars: The alumni & friends golf tournament is Saturday, August 29th at 1:00pm at Hickory Ridge. It's a fun way to support the team!

2015-2016 SCHEDULE

Last week Coach Dickinson released the 2015-2016 schedule. And a fine schedule it is! You can see it in the right-hand side bar of this blog.

Here are some takeaways after reviewing it:

It's good to see the team actively promoting the green/white game and welcoming the Brockport community to attend. Fans will attend this scrimmage and it's a good way to get them excited for what the season holds.

The weekends that saw Brockport play consecutive road games at Buffalo and Fredonia and Oswego and Cortland have seen a change in scheduling. Now, those weekends are splits...Brockport will play one game at home, one on the road. This is a wise move by Dickinson and his fellow coaches as it cuts down on hotel and travel costs and it ensures max capacity games all weekend -- too often in the SUNYAC, teams that hosted twice over a weekend would get one great turnout and another that was so-so. This move should increase attendance not only at Tuttle North, but across the conference as well. 

With such scheduling balance, Brockport has only one weekend during which it hosts two games (the first weekend in December). With a dozen home games (counting the green & white) on the schedule, that means we have a winter that sees the home experience spread out nicely, which is a great way to beat the boredom of winter if we get another cold and snowy one like the one we just had.

Alumni weekend is December 4th and 5th when Plattsburgh and Potsdam come to town from the North Country.

The annual Saves For a Cure game will take place on January 30th when Brockport hosts Canton.

Brockport will be playing in two tournaments this season...the Castleton Tourney at which they have become regulars and the Codfish Bowl at UMASS. Dickinson played in the Codfish Bowl in the 1980s, so it will be pretty neat to see him take his team there.

In a nice two-weekend stretch in January, the Golden Eagles take on the non-SUNYAC upstate New York teams --- Elmira, Hobart, and Nazareth. That's good hockey and an excellent warm-up for the second semester of SUNYAC play. 

Everyone always likes to mark the Geneseo game at Tuttle North on their calendar: Friday, February 5th for this intense rivalry game.

 

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES ANNOUNCED

In Division III, participants in team sports are truly student-athletes with the emphasis on "student".

The Golden Eagles men's hockey team proved once again that they aren't slouches in the classroom as made evident by the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Spring 2015 All-Academic teams.

The SUNYAC honor roll list is comprised of those who held a grade point average (GPA) at or above 3.30 for the year. This year's honorees:

Bobby Chayka, Aaron Green, David Horan, Jared Lockhurst, Chris Luker, Andrew Parks, James Ryan, Dylan Shapiro, Kody Vaisanen, and Aidan Verbeke.

The Commissioner's List is awarded to student-athletes who have an overall GPA of 3.30 or better for three semesters. The line-up:

Bobby Chayka, Jesse Facchini, Aaron Green, Jared Lockhurst, Chris Luker, Andrew Parks, James Ryan, and Kody Vaisanen.

Congratulations, men, keep up the good work!

YEAR END AWARDS

Outgoing Seniors: Bobby Chayka, Troy Polino, Kody Vaisanen, Aaron Green

The hockey team had their annual end-of-the-year ceremony on Saturday. Here are the awards that were handed out...

Chris Palin Rookie of the Year Award: Ryan Kangas

Jimmy Mac Most Improved Player Award: Kody Vaisanen

EJ McGuire 7^th Player Award: Chad Cummings

Bob Pedersen Coaches Award: Aaron Green

Brian Cavanaugh Most Outstanding Player Award: Chase Nieuwendyk

Outstanding Scholar Athlete Award: Aaron Green

Outgoing Seniors

Bobby Chayka

Aaron Green

Troy Polino

Kody Vaisanen (graduating after 3 years)

Chase Nieuwendyk - MVP

Chad Cummings-7^th Player Award

Ryan Kangas-Rookie of the Year

Aaron Green-Coaches Award & Scholar Athlete

Kody Vaisanen-Most Improved Player

NIEUWENDYK IS ALL-AMERICAN

At last night's Division III championship banquet in Minneapolis the D3 All-Americans were announced and Brockport's Chase Nieuwendyk was designated as Third Team All-American in the east. He is just the second Brockport hockey player to ever receive All-American honors.

Nieuwendyk had 18 goals and 12 assists this season, which included an amazing 11-8-19 line in 16 conference games. He had 9 power play goals on the year, second most in the nation.

Here is the official list:

2015 AHCA/CCM Division III Men's All-Americans:

	FIRST TEAM
East
Jamie Murray, jr., Babson	Goalie
Jake Turrin, sr., Amherst	Defense
Bobby Gertsakis, sr., Oswego State	Defense
Ryan Cole, so., Trinity	Forward
Shawn Hulshof, so., Oswego State	Forward
William Pelletier, so., Norwich	Forward
	SECOND TEAM
East
Nathaniel Heilbron, jr., Trinity	Goalie
Alec Thieda, sr., Norwich	Defense
Mike Vollmin, jr., Babson	Defense
Nick Zappia, sr., Cortland State	Forward
Stephen Buco, sr., UMass Boston	Forward
Jarryd ten Vaanholt, jr., Elmira	Forward
	THIRD TEAM
East
Alex Larson, jr., Nichols	Goalie
Kyle Shapiro, sr., Nichols	Defense
Michael Flynn, sr., Trinity	Defense
Michael Hawkrigg, jr., Trinity	Forward
Brad McBride, sr., Hobart	Forward
Chase Nieuwendyk, jr., SUNY Brockport	Forward

STYLUS ARTICLE ABOUT MALLARO

Anthony Buonasera of the Stylus wrote this nice article that looks at what assistant coach Stephen Mallaro has meant to the program...

http://www.thestylus.net/news/view.php/862473/Hockey-brings-on-new-assistant-to-aid-de

NIEUWENDYK & LUKER ARE ALL-SUNYAC FIRST TEAM

The State University of New York Athletic Conference is proud to announce the Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and All-Conference Teams for the 2014-15 men's ice hockey season. All the awards were voted on by the head coaches in the conference.

The MVP Herb Hammond award was given to Oswego's Shawn Hulshof (Stouffville, Ont). Rookie of the Year went to Cortland's Dan Broderick (White Plains, N.Y.). Plattsburgh's Bob Emery was named Coach of the Year.

Oswego's Shawn Hulshof was named this year's SUNYAC Player of the Year. The sophomore forward led his team with 40 points (19 goals and 21 assists), helping the Lakers to an 18-3-4 overall and 12-2-2 regular season conference record and a second place finish in the SUNYAC tournament. Oswego received an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III tournament where they will play Hobart College on Saturday.

Cortland's Dan Broderick took the SUNYAC Rookie of the Year honors. The White Plains native tallied 40 points on the year in 25 games, with 17 goals and 23 assists. Broderick notched 26 points in conference play, placing him fourth in the conference, with 14 goals and 12 assists in his freshman campaign.

The Coach of the Year went to Plattsburgh's Bob Emery. In his 26^th season at the helm of the Plattsburgh program, he led the Cardinals to a 13-2-1 conference record and the SUNYAC tournament championship crown, its first since 2012. The SUNYAC title was the program's 22^nd in its history. This is the seventh time Emery has been honored as the SUNYAC Coach of the Year. The Caridnals will head into the NCAA Division III tournament with an automatic bid.

The 2014-15 SUNYAC Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams are listed below.

2014-15 SUNYAC Ice Hockey All-Conference Teams (PDF)

First Team
Name	School	Position	Year	Height	Weight	Hometown
Chase Nieuwendyk	Brockport	F	Jr.	6--0	180	Georgetown, Ont
Nick Zappia	Cortland	F	Sr.	5--11	185	Manlius, NY
Shawn Hulshof	Oswego	F	So.	6--2	195	Stouffville, Ont
Chris Luker	Brockport	D	Jr.	6--4	190	New Hartford, NY
Bobby Gertsakis	Oswego	D	Sr.	5--10	175	Pickering, Ont
Jon Hall	Potsdam	G	Jr.	6--4	205	Dexter, NY
Second Team
Name	School	Position	Year	Height	Weight	Hometown
Alex Botten	Oswego	F	So.	5--10	185	Newmarket, Ont
Michael Cassidy	Plattsburgh	F	Sr.	5--11	177	West Seneca, NY
Connor Toomey	Plattsburgh	F	Sr.	5--10	160	Billerica, MA
Brandon Beadow	Plattsburgh	D	Sr.	6--1	220	Kapuskasing, Ont
Anthony Calabrese	Plattsburgh	D	Jr.	5--10	185	Bridgeton, NJ
Matt Zawadzki	Oswego	G	So.	6--0	180	Fort Mill, SC
Third Team
Name	School	Position	Year	Height	Weight	Hometown
Tyler Bricker	Geneseo	F	Sr.	6--0	190	Riverwoods, Ill.
Mike Montagna	Oswego	F	Sr.	5--11	185	Fulton, NY
Kevin Emmerling	Plattsburgh	F	Jr.	5--9	179	Northbridge, MA
Ben Kramer	Buffalo State	D	Jr.	5--9	165	Great Neck, NY
Jack Caradonna	Geneseo	D	Sr.	5--11	180	Markham, Ontario
Nick Horrigan	Geneseo	G	Jr.	6--3	170	Mount Forest, Ontario
Player of the Year	MVP Herb Hammond Award			Shawn Hulshof, Oswego
Rookie of the Year	Rookie of the Year			Dan Broderick, Cortland
Coach of the Year	Coach of the Year			Bob Emery, Plattsburgh

SHAPIRO & GREEN NET SUNYAC WEEKLY HONORS

 

Dylan Shapiro was selected as the SUNYAC hockey rookie of the week.

As the folks at SUNYAC put it....

Dylan Shapiro exploded for two goals in a victory over the higher seeded Geneseo Knights, as Brockport upset the # 3 seed Knights 6-4 Wednesday.

Aaron Green was selected as the SUNYAC goalie of the week.

Here's what SUNYAC noted of his performances...

Aaron Green had a tremendous performance in Brockport's upset victory over #3 seed Geneseo. He topped his career high with 59 saves in the 6-4 victory over the Knights. The Golden Eagles lost to #1 seed Plattsburgh in the semifinal but Aaron Green did all he could to keep the team in the game, finishing with 34 saves on 40 shots faced. Brockport lost 7-5 as the Cardinals scored an empty net goal late in the game.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Brockport gave the Plattsburgh machine a serious run for its money in last night's playoff game, hanging in there at 6-5 till the last couple of minutes when the Cardinals put the game out of reach with an empty netter.

That dramatic game and getting so close to the SUNYAC championship game was the icing on the cake for what was one of the most entertaining and memorable Brockport seasons in memory. I would put it a close second to the 2008-2009 team which I rank as my all-time favorite in my 22 seasons watching the team....that's how special this year was.

The team and personal accomplishments were many.

Early in the season, Brockport almost took Plattsburgh on home ice with a nail-biting 1-0 affair.

Saves For a Cure weekend was a smashing success with 2 jersey auctions.

They tied the always powerful Oswego in Oswego's barn.

Brockport won the Rutland Herlad Invitational during the Thanksgiving break.

The Golden Eagles shut out Buffalo State and Fredonia in consecutive games.

They had a team record six-game winning streak.

They avenged a 0-2 regular season record against our greatest rival Geneseo by beating them in the playoffs 6-4.

Chase Nieuwwendyk scored 18 goals on the season, including 11 in SUNYAC play. He was magical every time he touched the puck and many of his plays were jaw-dropping.

Chris Luker surpassed 20 points again, an amazing accomplishment for a defenseman.

Speaking of defensemen, Bobby Chayka had an unprecedented performance for one, scoring a hat trick in  a playoff game...against Plattsburgh no less.

In the regular season, James Ryan also scored a hat trick against Plattsburgh.

Ryan Kangas surpassed 20 points as a freshman.

Aaron Green had one of the best seasons ever for a Brockport goalie, with single seasons totals that saw the second best goals-against-average, second best save percentage, the third-most wins by a goalie, two shutouts, 59 saves against Geneseo in the playoffs and an out of this world .927 save percentage and 2.24 GAA in conference play.

These are just a few of the things that made this season so memorable.

Thank you to the players and coaches for making 2014-2015 special.

The season makes me damn proud to be a fan of the Golden Eagles.

Thanks for the ride!

Thanks for the memories!

BROCKPORT GETS SO CLOSE TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Senior defenseman Bobby Chayka (Hardwick, NJ) scored a hat trick and started a comeback effort in the second period for The College at Brockport Hockey team but a pair of power play goals and an empty net goal by Plattsburgh in the third period gave the Cardinals a 7-5 win Saturday night in the semifinal round of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament in Plattsburgh.

Plattsburgh (19-5-2) opened the game scoring two quick goals in the first five minutes of the contest but Brockport (13-12-2) battled back with Chayka scoring the first of three goals just 30 seconds after Plattsburgh had taken the 2-0 advantage to trim the lead in half.

The Cardinals added two more goals including one power play tally before the end of the period to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission.

In the second period, Brockport came out with increased energy and controlled much of the play for the first several minutes. Plattsburgh called its only time out of the game early in the period in an attempt to regain some of the momentum but Chayka capped a three-man rush up the ice with a hard shot from the top of the slot to make the score 4-2.

Five minutes later, with Plattsburgh on a power play, Chase Nieuwendyk (Georgetown, ONT) tapped the puck away from one of the Plattsburgh defensemen at the blue line and carried the puck into the Cardinal zone. A cross-ice pass to Chayka and a quick hard shot to the top corner of the goal made it a one-goal game and gave Chayka a hat trick.

Two minutes later, goalie Aaron Green (Mt. Albert, ONT) made a sliding save across the crease sending the puck into the corner. A pass out of the zone found the stick of Jake Taylor (Port Perry, ONT) led to a quick rush up the ice and into the Plattsburgh zone. Taylor dropped a pass to senior Troy Polino (Limerick, PA) who fired a low shot from just inside the blue line that found the back of the goal and tied the score at 4-4.

In the third period, Plattsburgh rallied for a pair of power play goals, one at 1:30 of the period and the second five minutes later to take a 6-4 lead.

Down two goals with less than six minutes to play, Brockport scored again to trim the lead to one at 6-5 as Chris Luker (New Hartford, NY) walked in from the blue line on a power play and snapped a hard low shot into the corner of the goal.

Two minutes later freshman Dylan Shapiro (Rochester, NY) had a good chance to tie the score as he carried the puck from behind the end line and looked to stuff the puck into the corner of the goal but it was saved.

With 1:53 left to play and a face off in the Plattsburgh zone, Brockport called its time out and pulled Green out of the goal for the extra attacker. Taylor won the ensuing faceoff but the puck was intercepted before reaching the defense at the blue line and Plattsburgh skated into the Brockport zone to score the empty net goal and regain the two-goal advantage.

Brockport had a couple shots in the closing minute but could not cut into the lead.

Chayka led the offense with three goals and Nieuwendyk added a goal and an assist. Green made 34 saves for Brockport.

Plattsburgh advances to play Oswego for the SUNYAC title Saturday, March 6 in Plattsburgh. Oswego posted a 2-0 win over Buffalo State in the other semifinal game.