Northeast Generals goaltender Hugo Haas has been rewarded for his strong play with a scholarship offer to play college hockey at American International.
Haas, from Czech Republic, was a little-known goaltender for most college coaches in North America prior to the start of this season. Playing for the first time in North America, Haas has received plenty of notoriety for his efforts with the Generals this season. In 27 North American Hockey League games, he has a record of 10-14-3 while posting a .919 save percentage.
Prior to crossing the pond, Haas played two seasons in Sweden for Vaxjo Lakers in the SuperElit and Lidingo Vikings in the J18 Elit prior. Haas had tended the net for HC Slezan and HC Slovan Bratislava the previous three seasons.
Haas is likely to matriculate to AIC in the fall, but does have one year of junior eligibility remaining as an ’01. The Yellow Jackets have a senior, Stefano Durante, who is the starting goaltender this season. AIC is slated to open to the NCAA tournament on Friday with a first-round matchup against top-seeded North Dakota. Eric Lang’s team pulled off a monumental upset to start the 2018-19 NCAA tournament by downing St. Cloud State.
During Lang’s successful tenure at AIC, he and his coaching staff have done a terrific job of recruiting Europeans. This year’s team has seven players from Europe.
Brown goes back to Long Island
Brown has added another Long Island recruit with Leo Schwartz commitment to Brendan Whittet’s program. The ’04 defenseman is in his first season playing for the Westchester Express 16-U after coming over from the Long Island Gulls.
Schwartz has two assists in seven games recorded on Elite Prospects while serving as the team’s captain. He put up seven and nine points over the past two seasons, respectively, with the Gulls.
Assistant coach Jason Guerriero hails from Long Island, and former assistant coach James Marcou, now at Harvard, does as well. As a result, the two have drawn on their connections to find some players for the Bears. Eight current recruits are from Long Island or the metro New York area while playing in the area.
UConn commits CCHL defenseman
UConn has added a late ’04 defenseman to its future stable of players. Kevin Fitzgerald of the CCHL’s Brockville Braves committed to the Huskies, it was announced this week. The Braves haven’t played any regular-season games, due to the coronavirus pandemic’s restrictions on sport in the province of Ontario. In 13 preseason exhibition games, Fitzgerald had a goal and three assists.
The 2020-21 season would have been Fitzgerald’s first opportunity to play junior hockey. Prior to joining the Braves, the Bath, Ontario, native, played for the Greater Kingston Frontenacs.
Former Lion heading to Air Force
Jason Kleinhans, who played for three seasons at Kent from 2017-20, has committed to Air Force. The ’00 from Herndon, Va., is spending his first year of junior hockey playing for the Danbury Junior Hat Tricks in the NAHL.
In 27 games so far this season, Kleinhans has four goals and 10 assists. His best statistical year for Kent came as a senior in 2019-20. He racked up seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 19 games. Kleinhans was part of a Kent team that won the NEPSAC Martin/Earl Large School Championship in 2018-19. Prior to coming to Kent, Kleinhans played youth hockey for Team Maryland and Washington Little Caps.
