By Warren Kozireski —
Plattsburgh senior captain Jake Lanyi last season finished second on the Cardinals with 16 assists in 26 games. As of the holiday break, the 6’0”, 185 lb. center led the team with eight assists in ten games and was atop the team leaderboard with ten points.
In his final go-round in college hockey, the Business major is getting a little nostalgic during his last trip to visiting arenas.
“Of course, I am it’s impossible not to,” Lanyi said in early December. “It’s been an unbelievable three (plus) years here and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. You’re going to be nostalgic and I’m going to miss it when it’s over.”
“Jake has kind of seen it all with our program,” Plattsburgh head coach Steve Moffat said. “He’s won a championship but was a kid who wasn’t in the line-up all the time when he started and now, he’s captain.
“I think that’s a pretty cool story for him and the guys really look up to him. He’s an emotional kid and the guys get behind that and I thought he played he played one of his best games of the year tonight (at Buffalo State Dec. 7) and did a good job leading by example.”
Jake’s father, Ed, a Rochester native, played hockey at then-Canton ATC captaining them his second year and then for Elmira College in the early 1980’s.
Raised in Westchester, Jake Lanyi played for the Westchester Express Peewee and Elite Hockey Academy before jumping to the Connecticut Wolf Pack at 15 years old and the Jr. Rangers in 2016-17.
Two more years with the P.A.L Islanders and then back to the Jr. Rangers in the NCDC where he combined to tally 49 points in 79 games.
“It just worked out that way,” Lanyi said. “16-U I was in Connecticut and 18-U I went to P.A.L. and then juniors is kind of wherever you end up and they wanted me back in Connecticut, so I went there.
“(Then) obviously being a New York guy the SUNYAC schools were on the radar. Seemed like a good fit for me and it5 has been for four years now and glad I made that choice.”
Lanyi played both hockey and lacrosse while at North Salem HS, but Plattsburgh is glad hockey won out.
“I like hockey too much; how can you not love this.”
(Photos provided by Plattsburgh Men’s Hockey and Athletic Department)
