Jersey Hitmen (4) v. Connecticut Jr. Rangers (0)
10.23.21
The Hitmen took the first game of the two game weekend series. The Hitmen and Jr. Rangers played a back and forth first period with neither team able to get on the board despite the Jr. Rangers having three powerplays in the first period. The Hitmen were able to capitalize on their first powerplay of the game on a tally from Will Elger (’04 Forward – Providence Commit) with assists from Sean Melso (’02 Defenseman) and Patricks Marcinkevics (’01 Forward).
Mike DiPietra (’02 Forward) added a second goal for the Hitmen, on a period where they dominated the majority of the possession. Captain Dylan Lugris (’01 Forward) iced the game in the third period with his third and fourth goals of the season to lead the Hitmen to the 4-0 victory. Peyton Grainer (’02 Goaltender) was stellar between the pipes, turning away 23 shots to earn the shutout. Jr. Rangers ’02 Goalie Derek Manzella was sharp in net, but could not withstand the Hitmen second and third period onslaught, stopping 49 shots that were sent in his direction.
Scouting Notes
Brandon Cimino (44) – ’01 Defenseman – Jersey Hitmen
Commit : Bentley
Two-way puck moving defender who makes strong outlet passes. Very active into joining the rush as a fourth forward or pinching down the wall with the puck. Quarterback of the powerplay who helps facilitate a significant amount of scoring chances either moving the puck or using deception to create shooting lane for himself. Reads the play well and can anticipate where the puck is going.
Dylan Lugris (16) – ’01 Forward – Jersey Hitmen
High speed winger who can play in all situations. He has a wide skating base and an explosive stride. This enables him to transport the puck through the neutral zone. He has poise with the puck, occasionally slowing down to allow teammates to join the attack. He is always in good position and occasionally intercepts errants passes. He serves as one of the main powerplay breakout options.
Mateo Dixon (11) – ’02 Forward – Jersey Hitmen
Creative, playmaking center with high hockey IQ and strong awareness of where all his teammates are located. He has good speed in open ice and handles the puck with ease. He can skate around defenders using his quick acceleration to find open space. He consistently works hard and provides good back pressure. He is always in proper positon with a good stick that can create turnovers.
Sean Melso (19) – ’02 Defenseman - Jersey Hitmen
Puck moving defenseman who effectively moves the puck out of his own zone. He makes quick, affirmative decisions and is unafraid to jump into the rush as an additional layer of attack. He displays strong edgework which allows him to handle the puck and protect it from defenders. He has a heavy shot from the point that makes him a scoring threat.
Patricks Marcinkevics (25) – ’01 Forward – Jersey Hitmen
Quick, elusive centerman with high end vision and playmaking ability. He is extremely dangerous in transition and can carry the puck through traffic in the neutral zone. He has explosive speed and is able to find open space after making a quick pass to a teammate. He generates many great scoring chances on the powerplay. He is a hard forechecker, often the first man on the puck. Although small, he will go to the net and set a net front presence.
Peyton Grainer (35) – ’02 Goaltender - Jersey Hitmen
He is fundamentally solid. He is very quick and agile in the net. He recovers very well putting himself in position to square up to any second chance opportunities. He rapidly smothers up any potential rebounds or uses his stick to knock pucks into the corners and away from high danger areas. He frequently communicates to teammates, directing traffic and signaling where opponents’ pressure would be coming from.
Ben Jenkinson (19) – ’02 Forward – CJR
Power winger with a strong two-way game. He has a nice, wide skating base with the ability to generate good speed in open ice. He has a strong, quick release shot. He handles the puck with poise and make sharp, affirmative passes moving North. He serves as the net front man on the powerplay, creating havoc in front of the net.
Andrew Mosley (71) – ’03 Defenseman – CJR
Two-way defender who handles the puck pretty well. He uses his larger frame to protect the puck. He has a heavy shot that he is always trying to release. He sees the ice well often able to find open teammates. He is defensively responsible, often covering for teammates who are out of position. He is strong off the rush, attacking opponents near his own blueline to force dumps and using his long stick to steer the play to the outside. He serves as one of the spokes on the powerplay with teammates trying to feed him for the one timer.
Will Donato (27) – ’03 Forward – CJR
Speedy winger who can transition the puck up the ice. He has pretty good hands and the ability to beat defenders one-one-one. He makes a good target to serve as an option on the breakout. He keeps his head up to make effective passes to teammates moving North. He makes good decisions with the puck and does not overcomplicate the game. He has some jam and will follow through on his hits.
Dean Rocco (4) – ’02 Defenseman – CJR
Bigger, two-way defender with good feet. He makes sharp, crisp passes on regroup. He sees the ice well and is able to hit teammates with an East-West pass. He moves pucks quickly to open space and does not rush even when under pressure. He has a good release from the point and ability to get pucks to the net. He is the facilitator on the powerplay with pucks running through him on the top.