Ben Gallacher – D – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) – 2013 (transfer)
5 GP / 1 G / 0 A / 1 Pts / 30 PIM / –2
Gallacher is still serving his second 8 game suspension of the season.

Mark Hamilton – D – Salisbury School Crimson Knights (NE Prep) – 2013
0 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
Hamilton has yet to play for the Knights so far this season but is due to in the next couple of weeks.  Hamilton was recently named captain for Salisbury and USHR named him their 15th best senior in prep hockey.

Mike Iovanna – RW/C – Malden Catholic Lancers (MA High School) – 2013
1 GP / 1 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
The Herald’s Jim Clark mentioned to me that Iovanna’s next point will be his 100th of his high school career.  Freshman: 6-12-18; Sophomore: 13-25-38; Junior: 15-27-42

Dennis Kravchenko – LW – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) – 2013 or 2014
23 GP / 11 G / 12 A / 23 Pts / 61 PIM / +4
Kravchenko returned from injury and had a goal and an assist in two games this past weekend.

Patrick Lee – LW – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2014
32GP / 14 G / 17 A / 31 Pts / 16 PIM / 0
Lee had a goal and an assist over the weekend at the Bandits improved to an astounding 33-1-0.

Casey Miller – C – Kimball Union (NE Prep) – 2014
5 GP / 2 G / 5 A / 7 Pts
Miller is off to a good start with 7 points in his first five games.  Miller was recently named the 10th best senior in preps by USHR.

Willy Smith – LW – Springfield Pics (EJHL) – 2014
16 GP / 0 G / 2 A / 2 Pts / 6 PIM
No points for Smith in his most recent games.

Frank Vatrano– LW/C – Junior Bruins (EJHL) – 2013
18 GP / 13 G / 9 A / 22 Pts / 22 PIM
Vatrano had a couple goals in his last game out.

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Here’s a new name to keep an eye on.  USHR has suggested that UMass may be pursuing goaltender Danny Tirone, goaltender for the prep league’s Loomis-Chaffee where he’s currently a co-captain.  Tirone is 5’11, 180 lbs, was born in 1994 and is originally from Trumbull, CT.  Prior to playing at Loomis he was out west in Minnesota at hockey powerhouse Shattuck-St Mary’s.  Tirone has a couple UMass connections that could help him as former Minuteman goaltending coach Mike Buckley has helped him develop his game and he is currently playing for former Minuteman J.R. Zavisza.  Last season Tirone had a .924 save percentage.  So far this year LC is 4-2.

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Boston College goes into winter break right where they started the season, #1 in the polls.  New Hampshire is right behind them while Boston University is sixth.  Dartmouth, the host of the holiday tournament UMass will be travelling to with UNH and Bemidji State, is #10.

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This week’s Hockey East awards release is without mention of UMass.