Juniors notebook: A look at early impact performers in NCDC

New England Hockey Journal has had a chance to take in some recent junior games, catching the USPHL NCDC in action in Marlboro and around the rest of the league.

There have been some impactful offensive performers to land near the top of the league in scoring over the first 16-18 games of the season depending on team schedules. Team defenses and goaltending appears to be strengths around the league based on early viewings as well.

Enfield, Conn. native and former Springfield Jr. Pics standout Spencer Korona of the P.A.L. Islanders currently leads the league in scoring, putting up a 1.53 points-per-game average in his fourth NCDC campaign, all with the same club. Although he doesn’t have an abundance of natural size, after a 51-point season a year ago, he should be able to parlay his creativity and playmaking skills into a NCAA commitment at some point soon.

Other players have managed to elevate their respective profiles with strong starts at every position, so based on teams we’ve had live viewings of thus far, we’re digging into the notebook to share the observations and projections with you.

Boston Advantage

20-year-old forward Manny Sanchez currently leads the team in scoring. The New York native and New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs standout played a season in the NAHL with Maine, but has found a niche with the Advantage in his second full year with the team. The undersized right winger has got some craftiness to go with his quickness and junior experience. ’03 center Arik Altman is one of the younger players on the roster and came from the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite minor programs before the USPHL. He can use his speed to get around defenders and has some skill, he just needs to keep adding strength to his 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame, and benefiting from the experience of playing at this level. He’s off to a decent start with eight points in his first 16 games. We didn’t witness him live yet, but ’05 Will McDonough has used his size and ability to make an immediate impact in his NCDC debut after being the top selection last May of the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL futures draft.

Speedy Minnesota ’02 defenseman Charlie Killian leads the Advantage blue line in scoring. He pops with his quick feet and ability to move pucks quickly on breakouts. In net, Kingston, Mass. native and longtime Advantage player Connor Bradford has provided his team with solid play in the early going. He has good size, quickness and has kept his team in it with a 7-4-1 record, .909 save percentage.

Boston Jr. Bruins

Joe Solimine leads the way offensively, jockeying with Korona for the league lead in scoring. The former Austin Prep and Northfield Mount Hermon School star played some NCDC games last year with the Jr. Bruins because of COVID-19 scrubbing the prep schedule, but he’s really broken out after securing a commitment to Holy Cross over the summer. The ’02 center from Wilmington, Mass. has a natural feel for the offensive flow of things with nifty hands to score goals or set up teammates. He moves pretty well with some slick east-west agility or the quickness to win footraces to loose pucks.

On the back end, Army recruit Jude Brower is showing off decent two-way ability as the team’s top scoring defenseman. The former Brunswick player has size and a good passing touch with the puck, able to find seams and exploit added time and space on the power play. Goaltender Colin Winn (Westford, Mass.) leads the Jr. Bruins with a 7-4-3 record. He’s athletic and put up some outstanding seasons with the BK Selects and South Kent Selects programs in the past, and for a 2004 goaltender, shows early promise in terms of talent and technique as he continues to get experience.

Connecticut Jr. Rangers

Nantucket, Mass. native Ben Jenkinson is a late ’02 and former captain at St. George’s School who is providing his team with scoring and a positive impact. He’s rangy and plays with length. In a game against the Jr. Bruins, he was noticeable for his ability to cycle pucks and maintain extended possession time in the offensive zone. Only three points separate the top scorer (Jenkinson) from the seventh, with the Rangers getting a pretty balanced scoring from Schuyler Flansburg, Bulgarian import Andrei Levushkin and Michael Bencivengo (Guilford, Conn.) among others.

The team isn’t flashy, but they play hard and find ways to generate opportunistic offense off of second effort plays and positive puck luck.

Islanders Hockey Club

Captain Patrick Somerville (Medford, Mass.) isn’t big or a scoring machine, but he’s fast, effective on the forecheck, and buzzes the net- a noticeable presence with his effort and energy. The Oct. ’02 birth year player is a good complementary piece after coming out of Arlington Catholic HS and the SKS 18 team in 2019-20. ’04 forward and Brown commit Aaron Schwartz stood out in a game against the N.H. Monarchs with a good net drive which resulted in a goal. The Florida native is small and still pretty young/raw, but can create offense and has a share of the scoring lead early on.

Speaking of raw, defenseman Eli Brown is another Floridian who brings intriguing size and potential to the mix. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound product of Delaware isn’t generating much in the way of production as a late (Nov.) ’04, but shows longer term promise as a player for D-1 programs to keep an eye on as he matures and gains experience.

New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs

Chicago Fury grad Tanner Hartman, the younger brother of NHL forward Ryan Hartman, was always known for his grit and effort in midget hockey, and that is translating well for him in league play this year. Although he’s in his final year of junior, he competes, gets to the net and finds ways to generate sneaky offense for his club. He will likely appeal to the myriad D3 programs in the area and nationwide with his all-around package and solid reputation.

Defenseman Zander Lizotte (Scarborough, Me.) played at Berwick Academy and The Gunnery. Although undersized, he moves well and advances pucks effectively. He’s not a dynamic player from the back end, and the points have not come for him at this level, but he’s efficient. St. Louis product Mitchell Day is giving the Monarchs very good goaltending. Although small, he battles and makes acrobatic saves, while showing good focus and mental toughness. Playing with a chip on his shoulder has brought impressive early returns after being a top option with the AAA Blues in midget.

Northern Cyclones

The Cyclones have an interesting Mutt n’ Jeff combo up front with big Canadian winger Rhett Evjen and 5-foot-9 but shifty and skilled center Marko Giourof. Evjen, a Nov. ’02 who hails from Swift Current, Sask., is a 6-5, 200-pound power winger who has scored 9 goals in his first 15 games. He’s a strong north-south skater with room to improve his foot speed and initial quickness, but he’s got a big shot and hasn’t been afraid to use it. Giourof, who is a rookie in the league after being a productive scorer for the Anaheim Ducks AAA 18 squad a year ago is more of a quick, elusive water bug type with quick hands. He’s adjusting to the speed and physical pace of the league. John Goldowski, who played for the Cyclones a season ago, is also off to a productive start. The former Albany Academy and Neponset Valley River Rats player is sharing the captain duties this season with Massimo Pietroniero.

In net, Michigan native Kristoffer Eberly shows intriguing upside with his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame. He tracks and recovers well, his .935 save percentage and 2.30 GAA an indicator of the Compuware product’s impressive start.

South Shore Kings

Left wing Tim Heinke has been one of the league’s most consistent finishers this season. The Kensington, Conn. native and former Avon Old Farms standout shares the lead with Tyler Crist (P.A.L. Islanders) and Barron Woodring (NJ Rockets) with 12 goals, and has been a consistent all-around performer for Drew Omicioli’s squad. Although he’s aging out of juniors as an ’01, if he keeps filling the net, he’s going to generate significant college interest going forward.

Sacred Heart recruit Chikara Hanzawa is fun to watch with his speed and skills- he has magic hands and can bob and weave through traffic with ease. The diminutive right wing (5-7/160) has 19 points in 16 games, good for second on the squad in scoring. Newcomer James Tepper, who joined the Kings from the NAHL’s Maryland Black Bears has been productive in the early going as well. An abrasive, agitating forward, the native of Shrewsbury, Mass. sometimes needs to keep his emotions in check, but is tough to play against with his physicality, hard shot and ability to finish plays in tight. The Proctor Academy and Cape Cod Whalers alumnus doesn’t have the quickest feet and will have to improve the initial steps going forward.

In net, 6-foot-4 Tristan Mecenas (’02) and 5-foot-11 Cameron Kuntar (’03) form a solid pairing. The defense gives up a lot of scoring chances, but the two have held the fort, despite both averaging north of 3 goals allowed per game.