It was announced today that future Minutemen and current teammates with the Brooks Bandits Shane Bear and Cale Makar will represent Team Canada West in the World Junior A Challenge that takes place next week.  The WJAC brings together some of the top Junior A players from the globe to compete in Cobourg, Ontario.  Russia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the United States, and two teams from Canada participate in the tournament.  Current Minutemen Kurt Keats and Carmine Buono played for Canada West last year.  Callum Fryer played for Canada-East last year and was named to the all tournament team.  Another former Bandit, Maddison Smiley, played in the WJAC for Canada West as well before coming to Amherst.

Shane Bear – D – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2016 (NLI Signed)
21 GP / 5 G / 12 A / 17 Pts / 26 PIM
Bear had an assist in two games this past week.

Troy Conzo – RW – Wenatchee Wild (BCHL) – 2016 or 2017
31 GP/ 8 G/ 9 A / 17 Pts /  8 PIM
Conzo had a two goal game this past week.

Kyler Nachtigall – LW – Brooks Bandits (AJHL) – 2016 (NLI Signed)
30 GP / 7 G / 14 A / 21 Pts / 48 PIM
Nachtigall had an assist this past week.  Here’s the goal:

Jake Massie – D – Omaha Lancers (USHL) – 2016 (NLI Signed)
11 GP / 0 G / 1 A / 1 Pts / 8 PIM
Massie was scoreless in his one game this past week.

Jake McCarthy – D – South Shore Kings (USPHL) – 2016
9 GP / 0 G /1 A / 1 Pts / 6 PIM
McCarthy was scoreless in his one game this past week.

Ty Pelton-Byce – C – Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) – 2016 (NLI Signed)
23 GP /4 G / 5 A / 9 pts / 6 PIM
Pelton-Byce had an assist in two games this past week.

Justin Dixson – LW – Tri-City Storm (USHL) – 2017 (NLI Signed)
16 GP / 0 G / 2 A / 2 Pts / 6 PIM
Dixson did not play this past week.  Dixson was recently interviewed in between periods where he talked about a number of subjects, including committing to UMass.

Colin Felix – D – St George’s (RI-HS) – 2017
3 GP / 2 G / 3 A / 5 Pts / 10 PIM
Felix is off to a good start to his prep year with 5 points in 3 games.  I had hoped to see him play in Canton this past week but unfortunately my schedule didn’t allow it.

Nick Jenny – D – Omaha Lancers (USHL) – 2017
22 GP / 0 G / 4 A / 4 Pts / 16 PIM
Jenny was held pointless this past week.

John Leonard – LW – Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) – 2017
17 GP / 2 G / 1 A / 3 Pts / 4 PIM
Leonard did not pick up a point this past week.

Cale Makar– D – Brooks Bandits (BCHL) – 2018 (NLI Signed)
29 GP / 5 G / 23 A / 28 Pts / 16 PIM
Makar had a goal this past week.  Makar is 4th on Brooks in points and is second in the league for scoring by defensemen.

Brian Scoville – D – Winchendon (NE Prep) – 2018
4 GP / 0 G / 0 A / 0 Pts
It doesn’t look like Scoville has accumulated points yet, but the webpage I’m using to get stats may not be updated either.

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Dan Malone of Masslive had an update on the state of the football program.  But one piece of news out of the article that pertains to hockey is that with the new media rights deal Athletic Director Ryan Bamford is currently negotiating it could lead to more broadcast opportunities of hockey.