By Warren Kozireski —

The Jamestown (NY) Rebels of the NAHL have been gone since the summer of 2022, but former Buffalo Jr. Sabres Jak Vaarwerk is helping keep their memory alive as he centers one of the top lines for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks.

Vaarwerk barely left home after spending four seasons with the Jr. Sabres capped by netting 82 points over 79 games his final two seasons.

Then it was an hour south to Jamestown where the 6’0”, 180 lb. 21-year-old sophomore scored 53 points in 56 regular season games and added 14 points in nine playoff games.

That got the attention of USHL scouts as he was the top pick in Phase II of their draft and was selected by Des Moines.

“I played pretty much until I was 18 in Buffalo…I really didn’t know what I was doing with hockey for my first 18 years to honest, so I didn’t know where it was going to take me,” Vaarwerk said while playing in the Adirondack Invitational in Lake Placid Thanksgiving weekend.

“To be able to get a chance at Jamestown and have success to where I am now, I’m grateful for. Covid happened and 18-U I was barely playing 30 games a year and didn’t really have any offers or looks, so I didn’t really know where hockey would take me at that point.

“Ever since then I’ve had the confidence to just keep building my game to where we are now.”

45 points in 61 games later and he walked onto the suburban Boston campus where he was named the River Hawks Rookie of the Year last season after his five goal-ten assist season.

Seeing ice time on both the power play and penalty killing units this year, Vaarwerk stands tied for fourth on the team with eight points in the first 15 games.

“I feel like we’re all connecting, last year (8-23-4) was a fluke so I feel like we learned from it and we’re just doing our thing as a team working hard every game…and finding ways to win.

“It’s a confidence thing; as much as you keep building your confidence the more you’re going to have success and that’s what I’ve been trying to do. Learning from last year, having a slower start and picking it up.

“It’s getting the coaches confidence. Everywhere I go you always start at the bottom of the line-up, and you need to grow and find your place and succeed at wherever they put you and from there you just keep growing.”

Though seemingly a late-bloomer, Vaarwerk has seen his stock rise rapidly over the past three years and that earned him an invite to the Buffalo Sabres Development camp last summer.

“I wanted to go to a development camp, but no team was reaching out. Finally, from playing with the Jr. Sabres until I was 18, they gave me a chance. I just wanted to learn from everyone that’s there.”

Next step is helping his River Hawks earn an NCAA playoff spot. And turning more heads in the process.

(Photos provided by UMass-Lowell Athletic Dept. and Men’s Ice Hockey Team)

By Warren Kozireski —

As a freshman, Northport’s Tanner Adams was tied for first on Providence College with 15 assists and finished second on the team with 21 points. Fast forward to this season and the sophomore right wing already has two more goals than all of last season and is tied for the team lead in points with 13 through the first 16 games.

“Got off to a hot start; scoring more which is nice, it’s definitely good for the confidence so just playing well,” Adams said while the team was participating in the Adirondack Invitational in Lake Placid Thanksgiving weekend.

Adam, who just turned 19 years old in September, began his hockey development with the Long Island Gulls at 13 years old and jumped to Mount St. Charles Academy for one season before heading to the USHL and Tri-City for two seasons as a 16- and 17-year-old.

“Growing up from mites I played on the older teams. All my buddies were on that team, so I just stuck with them all the way up and then I made the change my 15-year year to be with my age (group) at Mount St. Charles. And then I went to the USHL, and I was still the youngest guy on the team there.

“I’ve always been comfortable with it.”

Adams racked up 32 points his first year in the USHL and 33 his second year in 13 fewer games and added five points over four postseason games.

“My first year we had a good team, same with my second year. (It’s) a machine over there, so it was good for development.”

And arrived on the Providence campus as a 17-year-old.

The son of Amy and Tim Adams scored first collegiate point—an assist—against Michigan Oct. 8.

Though an above average skater, he continues to work on that part of his game among other things.

“You can never be too good at something. The little details (like) my skating, my IQ making plays in tight and working on my shot; that was my biggest thing over the summer just trying to get more confident getting the puck off my stick.”

Adams was invited to participate in the Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp in the past, though he was not selected last summer in the NHL Draft his first time being eligible.

“It definitely adds a little flame to the fire which is nice,” Adams said about not being selected.

“The only guy I need on my side is myself, so I’m just going to prove everyone wrong.”

(Photos provided by Providence Athletic Department and Providence Men’s Hockey Team)

By Warren Kozireski —

Robert Morris rejoined the Atlantic Hockey Association last season after two years off following the threatened shutdown of the program. Normally that would devastate any roster and take years to rebuild, but thanks to a solid recruiting effort offering freshmen the chance to compete right away, the Colonials are competitive again thanks in large part to Nichols School product Walter Zacher.

The 5’11” right wing entered the holiday schedule break leading the team with 11 goals and 59 shots and is tied for the team lead with 17 points.

“He’s a goal scorer; I think he was a little disappointed with his lack of goals last year even with 22 points, but he usually scores more,” Robert Morris head coach Derek Schooley said.

“He’s coming into his own…and it’s good to see him get going. When we committed him as a top prospect, we needed goals and we needed people to come in and embrace being part of Colonial hockey…and I’m happy with Walt’s game so far.”

“Last year I was battling a bit on an injury all year (hip) and then I had an operation in the offseason and I felt stronger and faster coming back,’ Zacher said.

After putting up a combined 98 points over 63 games in his finale of four seasons with Nichols, Zacher headed to Austin in the NAHL for three campaigns, the final one accumulating 32 goals and 55 points in 58 games. And 14 points in 11 playoff games on their way to the Robertson Cup finals.

“Our family has been at the school (Nichols) since the 1930’s, so it’s always been in my blood to go to Nichols. I started in fifth grade and I knew from the moment I put on skates that I was going to wear the green and white. Glad I stayed for four years.

“(Then) I was (supposed to go to) Sherwood Park (BCHL), but then covid shut Alberta down. Glad I went, great experience.”

The 22-year-old then decided to help restart the Robert Morris hockey program and net his first collegiate hat trick Oct. 19 in Miami, Ohio.

“It was a stressful situation because not all freshmen get to play right away…but there was opportunity to come in and play a big role. It’s been a while since I had a hat trick…but it felt good to get that out of the way early especially since last year I had a bit of a scoring slump all year with only five goals.

“Then to start out the year first weekend with four (goals); it felt good to get the monkey off my back.”

The Biology/Pre-med major after hockey is hoping to pursue a career in medicine working with athletes healing with the goal of being an orthopedic surgeon. But first, there are other goals…on the ice.

(Photo’s provided by Robert Morris Men’s Hockey and Athletic Department)

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)

By Warren Kozireski —

One was a four-year starter at Colgate while the other set five program records tending net at Division III Skidmore and both were looking for a fifth-year experience, ideally together.

The University of Massachusetts-Lowell gave Pierson and Tate Brandon the opportunity to again play with each other and so far, so good.

“Thrilled; it’s been a great move,” Pierson said during the Adirondack Invitational in Lake Placid in late November. “The competition is fantastic, the team is really great, the coaching is unbelievable.

Obviously, I knew (Associate Head Coach) Andy Bochetto (formerly an assistant at Colgate) before. But it’s been a great move, I’m really happy with it and excited for what we’re going to do here.”

Pierson was voted by his teammates as co-captain despite just arriving this summer and is playing key minutes on the River Hawks blueline. Unofficially he was on the ice for about four of the final six minutes in a 2-0 victory over St. Lawrence in the tournament opener. Tate is waiting in the wings for his first minutes of the season as the team’s third goaltender.

“He (Tate) obviously had an unbelievable Division III career and broke a lot of records at Skidmore. We were both looking for fifth-year opportunities and…it kind of just perfectly worked out and it’s been awesome to play with him again. We haven’t played together since we were 18 (years old), so it’s been a nice reunion.

(Regarding the captaincy) we had a month of summer training, and I’m honored that the guys felt enough to vote that way, and the coaches had enough faith in me. It’s huge honor and I’m very proud to wear that “C.”

Pierson, a 6’1”, 195 lb. left shot was the team leader in blocked shots all four seasons at Colgate (led the ECAC conference his junior season) and is picking up right where he left off. He had one goal and one assist through the season’s first 13 games and was tied for second on the squad at +5 plus/minus.

Tate last year set Skidmore single-season team records for games played (27), minutes (1538), GAA (1.76), SV% (.938) and wins (19) before the Thoroughbreds lost in the NEHC championship game to eventual repeat national champion Hobart.

The Brandon’s played on every team together until they split up in juniors ending  with one season with the Connecticut Oilers and three with the North Jersey Avalanche 16-U and 18-U squads.

Peirson headed to Aberdeen in the NAHL for two seasons where he won a Robertson Cup while Tate played for the Connecticut Jr. Rangers in the NCDC.

“(The Cup) is definitely up there (with favorite memories). And winning at Colgate was unbelievable, being able to do that for a program that hadn’t done it in 30 years and for a coach (Don Vaughan) who hadn’t won in 30 years, but the Robertson Cup was a special one.

It was a long grueling season and first one in history for Aberdeen was an awesome thing to be a part of.”

Now they are hoping this season to create one last memory playing together. UMass-Lowell is 10-3-1, as this is written, and moved up from #16 to #14 in the USCHO Dec. 2 rankings, so they are on the right track.

(Photos of Pierson Brandon provided by U-Mass Lowell Men’s Hockey Team and Athletic Department)