--EDITORS NOTE: The Springfield Pics organization sends it's deepest sympathies to the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs organization, and the family of Ryan Frew--
"There is no greater reward than knowing that you have had a positive impact on someone's life journey" - Ryan Frew The United States Premier Hockey League lost an amazing person in Ryan Frew, the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs’ NCDC head coach, on Monday, Oct. 5. Ryan died of complications arising from peritonitis at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The USPHL and all of its Member Organizations express its deepest sympathies to Ryan’s wife Nanna and his sons Seamus and Quentin, his daughter Layla, as well as his extended family, the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs organization, and all others whose lives he touched. It was a fitting reward when, in 2017, Frew received the New Hampshire Union-Leader Forty Under Forty Award, recognizing his great service to youth in New Hampshire. In the accompanying article, when asked why he chose his profession, his answer was straightforward: “I love working with people. My chosen profession offers me the opportunity to support and influence young men’s lives during a critical stage of their development and help guide them to become the best version of themselves,” Frew told the Union-Leader. “There is no greater reward than knowing that you have had a positive impact on someone's life journey.” Frew had a positive impact on everyone he met, no matter where he went, extending beyond the leagues, to the greater hockey community. Coaches from across the hockey realm spoke about their concern for Frew’s health during his illness. Frew’s history with the Monarchs (and with many of the Monarchs’ opponents both then and currently with the USPHL) goes well back to the first decade of the 2000s, coaching the Monarchs’ former Empire Junior Hockey League. Ryan was hired by the Monarchs in 2004. He brought the Monarchs to the Tier-3 Jr. B National Championship games in 2007 and 2011, and he was also on the bench for three straight Monarchs’ Tier-3 Jr. A National Championship wins from 2007 through 2009 and again in 2012. He coached the Monarchs to Empire Jr. Hockey League titles in 2010 and 2012, as well. He also saw his Monarchs receive a USA Hockey Team Sportsmanship Award and he was an All-Star Coach in six of his eight Empire seasons. Frew led the Monarchs to the first Eastern Hockey League regular season championship in 2014, and in 2016, the Monarchs added Playoff Champions to that resume. Within the USPHL, he helped shepherd the Monarchs into the NCDC to start the 2018-19 season, his team’s start in the league was so impressive, he was named NCDC Coach Of The Year after that first season. Rest In Peace, Ryan. Everyone in the USPHL will miss you and that big smile and laugh. Chris Foster and Zack Fox contributed a combined seven points on the weekend to defeat the Utica Junior Comets 3 - 1 on Saturday, and 2 - 0 on Sunday.
Jason Shafer of the Comets struck first in Saturday's game just one minute into the game, but that was the only goal that the Comets scored as the Pics then put up 3 unanswered goals. Zack Fox scored the equalizer just under 8 minutes later when he picked up a feed from Foster and Hanrahan. Foster then got the game winning goal with just 23 seconds remaining in the 2nd period on the power play as Payton Kimball was called for roughing. Foster then got the insurance goal with under 30 seconds remaining when he got the feed from Fox and Hanrahan. Fox the continued his magic the following night when he lit the lamp twice in the 1st period. With assists from Foster, Disanti and Hanrahan. Fox's 2nd goal of the night was the hightlight reel of the night, as he went top shelf. The goaltending duo of Ray Picard and Jonny Hanscom stopped a jaw-dropping amount of 96 shots on the weekend, with Picard stopping 60 out of 61 shots, and Hanscom stopping all 34 shots that faced him. The Pics will then face USPHL newcomer Boston Advantage on Saturday night. Time to be announced later in the week. The Premier squad went 3 - 1 at the showcase, defeating the Jersey Hitmen twice, and the Utica Jr. Comets once, falling to them 5 - 4 today in OT. The Elite squad struck first, but fell to the Islanders Hockey Club 5 - 3 on Saturday night. Dylan Taylor was able to put the puck in the back of the net with just under 5 minutes remaining in the 1st period when the Islanders failed a clearing attempt and it was picked up by Liam Andersen, who fed it to Sean Ferus and it went off the skate of Dylan Taylor into the back of the net Alex Speckhart was able to make it 2 - 1 when he was able to squeeze the puck between Islanders' goalie Mike Varveris' pads and the goal post. The Islanders then had three unanswered goals in the 2nd period which swung the momentum their way. Alex Speckhart put his second goal of the night between the pipes when he was able to beat Varveris stick side half way through the 3rd period, but just under a minute later, Jason Melanson of the Islanders made it 4 - 3. Conner Dalton put in the empty net goal with just 10 seconds remaning in regulation.
The Islanders move to 4 - 0 on the season, while the Pics move to 0 - 1 on the season. The Pics will face the Bridgewater Junior Bandits on Saturday at 4:40 pm at the Olympia. Eric Richardson will provide the play-by-play on HockeyTV. The Springfield Pics open their league schedule this weekend with the Premier’s away from the friendly confines of the Olympia, while the Elite, U16, and U15 open up their home end of their season.
PREMIER The Premier squad open their season with four games over an extended weekend. They will be facing the Jersey Hitmen and the Utica Jr Comets twice. They will be facing the Hitmen twice on Saturday, once on 3:50pm and again at 9:00pm. They will then face the Comets on Sunday at 10:40am, and again on Monday at 10:30am. The last time these teams met, the Pics beat the Hitmen 4 – 1 on November 16th, and the Pics and the Comets split their series, with the Pics on the winning end 4 – 3 on September 21st, and on the opposite end with a 3 – 2 loss on February 14th. The Pics then travel to the Hollydell Ice arena, home of the Skipjacks on October 9th, then back up to Bridgewater for another showcase against the Rockets Hockey Club, The New York Aviators, and the P.A.L. Junior Islanders. Rob Bonneau, when asked about this coming series was quoted at saying “We are looking forward to getting back to league play. We had an excellent training camp and look to get off to a good start as the division will be extremely competitive all season, and every game will be important.” ELITE The Elite squad has a lone game against the Islanders Hockey Club on Saturday at 8:20pm, with Pics broadcaster Eric Richardson having the call. The Islanders elected not to field an Elite team last season. The Islanders have already played 3 games so far, being victorious in all of them. “We are fortunate that the league is letting us move forward with the season. We are looking forward to our first league game Saturday against a new IHC team which I expect to be just as skilled as our upcoming opponents. We have a mix of veterans, players who have moved up in the organization, as well as newcomers. The Elite team this year is a skilled squad, and anticipates getting back to Nationals, and hope to begin the run on Saturday”, Elite Head Coach Chris Beaudoin was quoted saying when inquired about this upcoming game and season. U16 The Pics begin the home end of their season on Saturday and Sunday against the visiting Utica Junior Comets at 8:45 pm on Saturday and 5:30pm on Sunday. The Pics and the Comets did not face each other last season. U15 The Pics face the visiting Utica Comets, as they go to battle on Saturday and Sunday. 8:05pm on Saturday and 3:30pm on Sunday. The Comets were successful all three times last season they faced the Pics. When asked about this coming series against Utica, Head Coach Vern Smith was quoted saying “We’ve got a real challenge ahead of us with a skilled Utica team. We will be forced to up the tempo of our game. We have a number of new faces, so it will be a test for many of our players.” |
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