Quinnipiac commit shines at USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

We usually highlight the accomplishments by future Quinnipiac committed players in the weekly recruiting notes but this performance by a future Bobcat stood out and could not be overlooked until the upcoming Monday.

Keith Petruzelli, right (photo by Brandon Anderson)

Muskegon Lumberjacks 1999 goaltender, Keith Petruzzelli had an outstanding night at the 2017 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game which features many NHL draft prospects playing in the top junior hockey league in the United States. While Petruzzelli did not start for the Team East squad, he came on in relief midway through the second period after starting goaltender Maksim Zhukov gave up three goals on 14 shots. In just over 27 minutes of game action, the talented goaltender saved all 21 shots by the Team West squad. It was an impressive performance by Petruzzelli, who was named the Team East MVP, making him the first goaltender in the history of the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to win a team MVP award in the five years that the game has existed.

With scouts from likely all of the NHL teams in attendance, Petruzzelli rated as a B level prospect by the NHL Central Scouting List likely opened some more eyes to some scouts thinking about taking a goaltender such as him in the upcoming 2017 NHL entry draft. As a B level prospect he is projected to go in the second or third round of the draft but it will be interesting to see if this performance will see his draft stock elevate even further than it was before this game.

Keith Petruzelli (photo by Muskegon Lumberjacks)

Petruzzelli, who committed to Quinnipiac (with his brother D.J.) back in December of 2013 when he was a freshman at Springfield Cathedral High School, has seen high stock rise considerably after two years at Cathedral along with a season as the South Kent School last year before becoming the starter with Muskegon this year. In 19 games played this season for the Lumberjacks, Petruzzelli is 11-6 with a 2.58 goals against average and a .912 save percentage with one shutout.

With the transfer of junior goaltender Sean Lawrence, its becoming likely he will enroll at Quinnipiac in the fall of 2017 as a true freshman unless the coaching staff wants him to develop one more season in juniors and recruits an older goaltender for next fall.

Jonathan Singer is a 2004 Quinnipiac alum. You can follow him on Twitter @jonathan_singer.