Quinnipiac recruiting notes 4/10/2017

The college hockey season is officially over and the Denver Pioneers won their 8th national championship and first since 2005 with a 3-2 win over Minnesota Duluth. Denver is a worthy champion as they were best team all season long. Right now the only hockey being played is obviously the NHL and junior leagues that are heading to or are currently in the playoffs. There were a bunch of Quinnipiac commits that played this past week including multiple commits playing in the USA Hockey National Championships in many age brackets. Let's take a look at how a bunch of the future Bobcats did.

Ethan Phillips

2001 forward Ethan Phillips had a strong tournament with 4 goals, 1 assist in four games played as the the Selects Academy 15 under team fell in the semifinals 5-4 in heartbreaking overtime fashion to the same Yale Bulldogs squad that stunned them in the New England regional championships. He had a shorthanded goal in the semifinals and setup Selects first goal of the game. His teammate P.J. Fletcher, another 2001 forward had two assists in four games played with both of them coming in the tournaments first two games against the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.

Victor Czerneckianair, a 2002 forward playing for the Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers had one goal in three games played as his team went 0-3 in pool play in the 14 Under division. His goal came in the team's final game, a 5-3 loss to the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes.

Corey Clifton (photo by Chris Rotolo, Asbury Park Press)

Corey Clifton had a solid tournament in the 18 under division for the North Jersey Avalanche 18U team. In three games played, the 1999 forward and the younger brother of Connor and Tim Clifton had 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) as the team finished 2-1 in pool play but did not advance. His teammate, 1999 goaltender Justin Robbins played in two games going 1-1 with a 2.50 goals against average and a .898 save percentage. Both players will be moving on from the Avalanche next season. Clifton's destination is unknown at this point while Robbins was an affiliate player of the Chicago Steel and has a good chance of being there next season.

1997 forward Odeen Tufto finished the regular season with an impressive 48 points (16 goals, 32 assists) in his first USHL season. After starting the season with the Fargo Force and getting traded to the Tri-City Storm, Tufto was traded once again to the western conference leading Sioux City Musketeers where in 21 games had 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists). His team opens the Clark Cup playoffs on Friday against the Des Moines Buccaneers.

Top goaltending prospect Keith Petruzzelli finished the season on a strong note with a 36 save performance in 5-2 win over the Chicago Steel on Friday. Petruzzelli finished the regular season 22-10 with a 2.40 goals against average and a .918 save percentage and had two shutouts. He will lead Muskegon into the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs starting Friday against the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Matt Cassidy's season has come to an end. The 1999 forward out of Medford, New Jersey finished his first season with the Springfield Jr. Blues with 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 56 games played. Its unknown if Cassidy will return to Springfield or head to the USHL as he was on the affiliate list this season for the Green Bay Gamblers.

1996 defenseman Joe O'Connor and the Brooks Bandits have moved on the the AJHL finals where they will face the Whitecourt Wolverines in a best-of-7 series. O'Connor did not have any points over the last two games as his playoff line remains at 2 goals, 6 assists in nine games played for the Hamden, CT native.

We highlighted this yesterday but both Dom Fensore and Connor Tait were selected in the OHL Priority Draft on Saturday. You can read more about it here.

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