With the odd schedules as of late, it’s been a while since our last recruit update so time to get caught up on the future Minutemen.

Ben Gallacher – D – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) – 2013 (transfer)
13 GP / 2 G / 4 A / 6 Pts / 30 PIM / +5
Gallacher has had three assists in his last six games but what’s encouraging is that he did not take any penalties in that time.

Mark Hamilton – D – Salisbury School Crimson Knights (NE Prep) – 2013
0 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
Due for an update on the prep recruits.  I believe Hamilton is playing for the Knights currently after missing a few weeks with injury.

Marc Hetnik – D – Vernon Vipers (BCHL) – 2013
33 GP / 1 G /4 A / 5 Pts / 30 PIM
UMass’ newest recruit did not register any points in the last couple weeks.

Mike Iovanna – RW/C – Malden Catholic Lancers (MA High School) – 2013
6 GP / 2 G /4 A / 6 Pts
Iovanna is playing as I write this and as of now already has four points.  Last week he played well as MC played top ranked BC High, picking up two assists.  Richie Murray, a UMass alum covering the game for the Herald, passed along to FTT that Iovanna has a lot of good puck skill and looked good on the PK, but still needs to put on some weight before getting to Amherst.  Iovanna’s recent 100th point milestone was mentioned by the Herald’s Jim Clark.

Dennis Kravchenko – LW – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) – 2013 or 2014
29 GP / 13 / 16 A / 29 Pts / 74 PIM / +9
Kravchenko had a goal and and three assists during the last couple weekends.  He’s currently 17th in the USHL in total points and 19th in scoring.

Patrick Lee – LW – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2014
37 GP / 16 G / 18 A / 34 Pts / 18 PIM
Lee went scoreless in his last three games but amazingly the Bandits are 36-1-1 on the season.

Casey Miller – C – Kimball Union (NE Prep) – 2014
5 GP / 2 G / 5 A / 7 Pts
Updates for the prep recruits will be done semi-regularly.  Miller has some mention in this Q&A with Maine recruit Nick Roberto.

Willy Smith – LW – Springfield Pics (EJHL) – 2014
19 GP / 0 G / 3 A / 3 Pts / 6 PIM
Smith didn’t have any points recently.

Frank Vatrano– LW/C – Junior Bruins (EJHL) – 2013
18 GP / 13 G / 9 A / 22 Pts / 22 PIM
Vatrano has not played with the Junior Bruins in a while.  I almost wonder if he’s now enrolled at UMass.  Will work to confirm.

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Branden Gracel had a hell of a week last week, being named Ledyard Classic MVP, Hockey East Player of the Week, and Hockey East Player of the Month.  All of that helped him gain honors as runner-up for National Player of the Month.

The Republican’s Harry Plumer caught up with the Minutemen during their rare weekend off.

Don’t forget that this weekend’s games got switched on the schedule so now the team plays at home on Friday and in Providence on Saturday, thanks to some sort of a conflict with Women’s Basketball.  I assume the change was made so the pep band that plays before dozens of people at women’s basketball can make it on Friday to support hockey and the thousands of fans there, right?  RIGHT?!!?!

This weekend’s series is mentioned by CHN’s Joe Meloni.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the tremendous win by USA Hockey over Sweden to gain goal in the IIHF World Junior Championships.  In the last decade since I took a significant interest in the USA hockey program and how players develop through the ranks, Team USA has made huge strides.  To get to the point where they’re now regularly seen as having the best players in the world under the age of 20 is miraculous.  Congratulations to all the players on Team USA, but a little extra congrats to those guys like Rocco Grimaldi, Johnny Gaudreau, Jacob Trouba, Jake McCabe and many others who have chosen to hone their skills in the NCAA.

The UConn hockey program will not be led into Hockey East by the coach who has guided them for the last 25 years as Bruce Marshall has resigned after missing most of the season due to health issues.  It’ll be interesting to watch who the Huskies tap to take their program to the next level.

Here are this week’s polls and Hockey East awards.  Massachusetts is currently 23rd in the pairwise.