MARLBORO, Mass. — The Junior Bruins defeated the Boston Advantage, 4-1, in a USPHL NCDC game at New England Sports Center on Saturday night.
Ryan Rosborough led the way offensively with a goal and two assists while Colin Graf, Jude Brower and Coleman Jenkins added tallies for the Junior Bruins. The lone Boston Advantage goal came off the stick of Tony Achille.
The game was played in front of a smattering of family and a handful of NHL scouts. The USPHL NCDC has benefited from the delayed start of the college season and uncertainty of prep hockey. More high-end prospects are choosing to play for the Junior Bruins, as well as a couple of other local entries in the league.
Below are evaluations of noteworthy performers from Saturday night’s USPHL NCDC game between the Junior Bruins and Boston Advantage:
Shane Lachance
Junior Bruins, 8/30/03, LW, left shot, 6-4/190
NCAA commit: Boston University
Lachance, from Andover, Mass., assisted on the first goal of the game for the Junior Bruins. There’s not much to be said that hasn’t already been said, based on Saturday’s viewing. He’s big, has reach, and impacts the game. I did like that he tried to assert himself physically a few times. While I chalk some of it up to rust, the only issue I saw in this game was his skating, especially his first two steps. Regardless, he’s an NHL draft pick, but what round he goes in will depend on whether teams believe his skating can continue to improve.
Chris Delaney
Junior Bruins, 9/25/04, RW, left shot, 5-7/140
Delaney had another great game, especially when considering he’s a late ’04. He was flying all over the ice and showed no fear of older, bigger opposing defensemen when hunting pucks along the wall. The Hopkinton, Mass., native made a great play for an assist on the goal that put his team up 2-0. His ability to make plays in small areas is always notable.
Jackson Dorrington
Junior Bruins, 4/13/04, D, left shot, 6-1/185
NCAA commit: Northeastern
Dorrington was much better in this game than he was a couple of days earlier against the Northern Cyclones. The North Reading, Mass., native did a good job involving himself in the transition game and jumping up into the play. He did that on the fourth goal. He unleashed a bomb of a one-timer that went just wide during a power play. In my opinion, he should be on the first unit, but he’s been on the second the past two games. I also liked that he brought it physically a couple of times. There is certainly upside showing that he could be an NHL draft pick in 2022.
Cam Lund
Junior Bruins, 6/7/04, C, right shot, 6-1/165
Lund, from Bridgewater, Mass., was another player who performed better Saturday than he did in the previous game. While he didn’t find the scoresheet, he made a couple of plays that resulted in quality chances. His skating and skill was better than anyone else in the game. I’ve said it before, but if he can play more between the dots, his production would increase and he’d be a more consistent factor.
Colin Graf
Junior Bruins, 9/21/02, C, right shot, 6-0/170
NCAA commit: Union
Graf was good for a second straight game. The Lincoln, Mass., native scored the first goal of the game, as he drove into the zone going left to right. He thinks the game well offensively and is trending upward.
Nick Ring
Boston Advantage, 10/26/03, C, right shot, 5-9/165
NCAA commit: New Hampshire
Ring, from Hingham, Mass., skates well and his vision stood out a couple of times in this game. He made a nice low-to-high pass for a good scoring chance for his team. While there were younger players in the game who did well, it’s still important to realize his age when evaluating him at the junior level.
Domenic Garozzo
Junior Bruins, 11/26/00, LW, left shot, 5-11/165
Garozzo had a couple of assists in the game, but I liked his play throughout. He has good speed, buzzes out there, and goes to the greasy areas. I could see him being a walk-on at the Division I level, likely Atlantic Hockey, for next season.
Tony Achille
Boston Advantage, 1/8/02, LW, left shot, 5-11/165
Achille, a Hingham, Mass., resident, scored the only goal for the Boston Advantage. The shift epitomized who he is as a player. He blocked a shot from the right defenseman in his own zone. He recovered it and drove down to the other goal. The initial shot was saved, but he cleaned up the rebound. Achille isn’t the most skilled player, but his compete level is noteworthy. He’s a player who could find a role as a bottom-six player at the Division 1 level, if he ages out of junior in a couple of seasons.
Ryan Rosborough
Junior Bruins, 5/24/00, C, left shot, 6-3/195
Rosborough is a newcomer to this region after playing in the OJHL in his native province. He had a goal and two assists in this game. He certainly has the size, but I need to see more of him before knowing exactly what he could be going forward.
Charlie Spence
Junior Bruins, 3/18/02, D, right shot, 5-11/175
Spence made a nice breakout pass on the Junior Bruins’ first goal. The Medfield, Mass., native is mobile and can move pucks north while playing with some jam. He doesn’t impact the game at the junior level like he does in Midget or prep, but I still think he should be on the radar for some academic-minded schools such as Holy Cross, Colgate or St. Lawrence, as well as NESCAC programs.
Coleman Jenkins
Junior Bruins, 5/11/03, RW, right shot, 6-2/170
Jenkins took advantage of a broken play and the goaltender out of the net to give the Junior Bruins a 4-1 lead and some insurance late in the game. The Mansfield, Mass., native is a north-south winger who is still adjusting to the pace of the junior game.
Trevor Taulien
Boston Advantage, 4/14/03, D, right shot, 6-5/214
Taulien is a big defenseman who possibly could fit a bottom-pairing role at the college level, if he improves his skating and hockey sense.
TJ Semptimphelter
Junior Bruins, 5/9/02, G, catches left, 6-0/186
Semptimphelter stopped the shots he needed to in order to give his team the win. He’s a little on the smaller side, which can leave him out of position at times. Still, he’s a good goaltender who could be a third-string goalie at the Division 1 level or a starter for a NESCAC program.
