Monday, December 30, 2013

MJHL announces 2014 All-Star coaches

Press Release

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – The Metropolitan Junior Hockey League is pleased to announce that eight coaches have chosen to lead four teams that will take to the ice at Iorio Arena on January 26, 2014. The selections were made based up team winning percentage calculated immediately after the close of the 2013 MJHL Winter Holiday Showcase.

All-Star Sunday will feature two games, the MJHL Prospects Game, which begins at 11:45AM and will feature ’96 and ’97 birth year players only and the MJHL All-Star Game, which begins at 1:45pm and will feature ’93 through ’97 birth year players.

The four teams, Teams Dowd and Mariconda (Prospects Game) and Teams Francis and Mullen (All-Star Game) will be completed via a draft of nominated players and the rosters will be announced on Wednesday, January 8, 2014.

Leading Team Dowd will be Boston Junior Rangers Head Coach Rich DeCaprio. The Junior Rangers are currently second in the Francis Division, and third overall in the MJHL, after reaching the Keegan Cup Championship Finals last season. Central Penn Panthers Head Coach Tom Garman will join DeCaprio on the Team Dowd bench.

Taking on Team Dowd in the MJHL Prospects Game will be Team Mariconda, led by North Jersey Avalanche Head Coach Bill McCreary. McCreary has the Avalanche atop the Mullen Division standings in the Avalanche’s first year in the MJHL following its reactivation during the offseason. McCreary will be joined on the bench by Hartford Junior Wolfpack Head Coach Chris Cerrella, who currently are in third place in the Mullen Division.

In the All-Star Game, Boston Bandits Head Coach Scott Drevitch will lead Team Francis. The Bandits lead the MJHL in goals for and against while amassing the best record in the MJHL, with only four blemishes on their record and only one coming in regulation. Drevitch will be joined on the bench by Metro Fighting Moose Head Coach Charlie Crispino, another first year MJHL Head Coach, who has the Moose right in the mix of things in the always competitive Mullen Division.

Opposing Team Francis in the MJHL All-Star Game will be Team Mullen, led by Frederick Freeze Head Coach Derek Comeau. Comeau has the Freeze sitting atop the Dowd Division. Comeau will be joined by Richmond Generals Head Coach R.C. Lyke, the head man of the Mullen Division’s second place team.

“We are very excited for this year’s All-Star Sunday,” said MJHL Director of Hockey Operations Paul Maciejewski. “We have many talented players in the MJHL and our top players will be on display at Iorio Arena. We’ve selected the coaches who have had their teams at the top of the MJHL all season long and we are expecting two great games.”

Both the MJHL Prospects Game and the MJHL All-Star Game will be broadcast via Fast Hockey.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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