It’s been a busy couple of weeks on the recruiting trail for New England colleges and for players from the region.
With the prep school season coming to an end and the stretch run approaching in junior hockey, there are quite a few commitments to report, including a couple for next season.
Seven of the recent commits are from current or former prep players, including Governor’s junior defenseman Jack Pascucci, who committed to the University of Connecticut.
The North Andover, Mass., native just completed his first season for Brian McGuirk’s program. In 31 games, the right-shot had five goals and 15 assists. Pascucci has solid upside with his size, mobility, and puck skills. Prior to coming to Governor’s, Pascucci played one season at St. John’s Prep and one season for the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 16-U.
Prep duo pledges to St. Lawrence
Two current prep players recently committed to play college hockey for St. Lawrence, coached by Brent Brekke, who just completed his first season as bench boss of the Saints.
New Hampton junior right wing Cole Hipkin was one of those recent commits. The ’03 from Brantford, Ontario, scored 22 goals and added 11 assists in 33 games during his first season of prep hockey.
The other recent SLU commit is Gunnery senior center David Andreychuk of Chatham, N.J. The ’02 just concluded his prep career with a NEPSAC Hockey Piatelli/Simmons Small School Championship. In 35 games this season, Andreychuk scored 16 goals and 37 assists. That production marked a 14-goal and 42-point increase from the previous season.
Holderness defenseman chooses Clarkson
Holderness leading scorer Carter Rose has committed to Clarkson, it was announced last week. The ’02 junior defenseman from Brasher Falls, N.Y., had seven goals and 22 assists in 28 games for the Bulls. 2019-20 was Rose's second season of prep hockey. In 2018-19, he was a major reason Holderness advanced to the Piatelli/Simmons Small School Tournament final.
UNH commits Gendron, Jenson
New Hampshire recently picked up two commits out of junior hockey. Former Central Catholic and Winchendon star Cam Gendron will matriculate to Durham to begin playing for the Wildcats next fall. The ’99 right wing is in his second season with the NAHL’s New Jersey Titans. In 2019-20, the Wilmington, Mass., native has 15 goals and 18 assists in 49 games.
’00 right-shot defenseman Nikolai Jenson is in his second season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. The Cold Spring, Minn., native has three goals and two assists in 39 games this sason. Prior to Youngstown, he played a year in the NAHL with the Shreveport Mudbugs, a year of 16-U with Omaha AAA, and three years of high school hockey with River Lakes in his native Minnesota.
Two from junior hockey for Northeastern
Northeastern recently committed ’99s Michael Outzen and Steven Agriogianis, both players with vast junior hockey experience.
Outzen, a Highlands Ranch, Colo., native, is a 2018 alum of Cushing Academy and a product of the Colorado Thunderbirds youth organization. He’s in his second season with the New Jersey Titans in the NAHL. Outzen has 18 goals and 38 assists in 51 games this season. His 56 points are 25 more than he had in 2018-19.
Agriogianis is a junior hockey journeyman, having played for six different organizations, including five in the USHL. Now with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, he has 17 goals and 22 assists in 51 games this season. The Florham Park, N.J., native played for Delbarton and the North Jersey Avalanche before moving on to junior hockey. His USHL teams include the Omaha Lancers, Chicago Steel, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Lincoln Stars and Central Illinois Flying Aces.
A Russian for UMass
UMass recently committed Culver Military Academy ’02 left-shot right wing Timofey Spitserov, a native of Moscow, Russia. In Spitserov, the Minutemen are getting a big time goal scorer. He has 86 goals over the past two seasons.
Allen commits to UMass Lowell
Just a few weeks after putting up an impressive showing at the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, Matt Allen has committed to UMass Lowell. The ’00 from Minco, Okla., has 25 goals and 32 assists in 54 games this season for the Amarillo Bulls. Previous stops on his hockey journey include Iowa Wild AAA, Wichita Jr. Thundr, Syracuse Stampede, Skipjacks, and Omaha AAA.
Bentley adds BCHL’s Pearson
Bentley recently received a commit from Coquitlam Express left-shot forward Danny Pearson. The ’00 from West Vancouver, British Columbia, has 10 goals and 12 assists in 39 BCHL games this winter, his second in the junior league.
Gagno commits to Bobcats
’02 defenseman Brody Gagno recently committed to play college hockey at Quinnipiac. The South Surrey, British Columbia, native is an alternate captain for the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs. In 50 games, he has three goals and six assists.
