Commit Cycle: May 2 (Men)

With all of Penn State's men's commits now eliminated from their respective playoffs, this will mark the season finale of Commit Cycle. While nobody finished quite like Curtis Loik in winning the RBC Cup with the BCHL's Penticton Vees in 2011-2012, it was still a very successful year. Arguably, the headliners were Chase Berger, who won the Challenge Cup with Saint Louis University High School as well as a silver medal at the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships with the St. Louis AAA Blues and Eamon McAdam who, among other things, picked up the Junior Club World Cup's top goaltender award, a gold medal at the World Junior A Challenge, the MVP award at the USHL/NHL Top Prospects game and a lofty final pre-draft ranking from NHL Central Scouting.

There were plenty of highlights across the board though, as 10 of 12 future Penn Staters playing Junior A hockey this season made their league's playoffs, notably including the pair of Spruce Grove Saints - Dylan Richard and Mike Williamson - and their run to the AJHL championship series. Additionally, 2015 entrant Kevin Kerr won an Atlantic District title with Team Comcast to qualify for nationals, and fellow 2015 freshman A.J. Greer was a key part of New England prep hockey's dominant team for most of the season.

Of course, news floating out there during the summer months and outside of the primary hockey season will still be passed along, but through Three Stars (for the small stuff) or a stand-alone entry (for the big stuff).

Chase Berger very nearly won the highest possible championship with both of his teams

Before getting to the last two commits standing, here are the players whose seasons ended prior to the previous Commit Cycle post, and a quick look at how things turned out for them. As always, check M Current Commitments for full stats.

• 2015 F A.J. Greer (Kimball Union Academy - New England Prep) enjoyed a highly-successful first year in New Hampshire after coming to the states from his native Quebec. The power forward finished sixth in scoring, with 16 goals on a 19 assists, on a stacked team that had ten Division I commitments and went 27-2-0 in the regular season - earning a second-team all-scholastic underclass team nod from Over The Boards. The season, however, ended in disappointment when the top-seeded Wildcats were stunned 4-1 by Gunnery in the opening round of the Stuart/Corkery Tournament, the New England prep championships.
• 2014 F James Robinson (Langley Rivermen - BCHL), despite a quick ouster from the playoffs at the hands of the Surrey Eagles, had a fantastic rookie season in the BCHL. He helped the Rivermen to a 24-26-6 regular season record with 42 points, good for third on the team in scoring, with his 33 assists rating second best among all first-year players in the league.
• 2014 D Bo Pellah (Alberni Valley Bulldogs - BCHL), after briefly teaming up with Robinson in Langley, was traded to the Bulldogs early in his second BCHL season. He transitioned seamlessly, leading the Bulldogs' blueliners in scoring with four goals and 29 assists. Alberni Valley qualified for the playoffs with a 29-20-7 record and went on a thrilling run, recovering from an 0-2 best-of-five hole against Nanaimo in the first round and a 1-2 deficit against Victoria in the second round to win both series. Powerful Surrey proved too much in the Coastal Conference finals, however, sweeping the Bulldogs out of contention.
• 2013 D David Thompson (Chilliwack Chiefs - BCHL) joined Robinson and Pellah in being knocked out of the playoffs by Surrey, with the Chiefs falling via a second-round sweep after taking out Prince George in five games in the opening round. The Pennsylvania native closed his junior career by captaining his team to a 33-21-2 regular season mark and, like Pellah, led his team in blueliner scoring with 27 points while also providing strong positional play and physicality.
• 2015 F Chase Berger (St. Louis AAA Blues 18U/Saint Louis University HS) very nearly reached the pinnacle with both of his teams, taking the Mid-States Club Hockey Association Challenge Cup title with SLUHS by topping rival Christian Brothers 2-1 in overtime. Berger assisted on the championship-winning goal then, with the AAA Blues, scored the Central District clincher to propel that team to the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships. At the tournament, his eight points in six games helped advance the Blues to the title game, but a 4-3 overtime loss to Neponset Valley (after leading 3-2 until eight seconds remained in regulation) forced Berger to settle for a silver medal.
• 2015 D Kevin Kerr (Team Comcast 18U/Holy Ghost Prep) also did well with both his school and club teams. Comcast took the Atlantic District bid to USA Hockey Tier I 18U nationals, and advanced to the quarterfinals before - in quite a case of foreshadowing, relative to Berger - losing to eventual champion Neponset Valley, 4-3 in overtime. Meanwhile, Holy Ghost enjoyed a typical winning season but succumbed 5-2 to La Salle College High School in the finals of the AAA Flyers Cup, the big-school eastern PA championship.
• 2013 F David Goodwin (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - USHL) didn't miss a beat following an early-season trade from Sioux City and posted his typically-robust stat line (13 goals and 30 assists in 64 games when combining totals from both teams) despite the Riders' anemic offense that contributed to a 25-30-9 record and missing the Eastern Conference playoffs by 13 points. The heady center, notably, finished his three-year USHL career with 118 points in 179 games.
• 2015 F Alec Marsh (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - USHL) joined Goodwin in an early trip to the golf course but still turned in a great rookie season in the USHL. The New Jersey native, after irregular appearances in the lineup early on, was more or less a fixture in the top 12 by the end of the campaign. Marsh finished with four goals and 11 points in 40 games and even made a cameo on SportsCenter, thanks to his assist on a spectacular goal by linemate Dylan McLaughlin back in October.
• 2013 F Rick DeRosa (Port Huron Fighting Falcons - NAHL) captained his team to a 32-24-4 record and a North Division playoff bid - a second straight postseason trip for the Falcons after a 6-46-6 record in the franchise's first season of 2010-2011. DeRosa, who led Port Huron in scoring with 42 points and finished his junior career as the team's all-time leader, fueled a third-period comeback in the decisive game three of a first-round series against Johnstown with a goal and an assist to help the Falcons advance. The Soo Eagles, however, subsequently swept the team out of the North Division semifinals.
• 2013 D Patrick Koudys (Muskegon Lumberjacks - USHL) was an important part of a defense corps that surrendered the second-fewest goals in the USHL during the regular season, 175 in 64 games. The RPI transfer's one goal and 10 assists also helped the Lumberjacks to the playoffs despite the league's reducing the number of playoff teams from 12 to 8 this season, but they were swept in a best-of-five first round by USHL regular-season champion Dubuque.
• 2013 F Zach Saar (Muskegon Lumberjacks - USHL), following a mid-season trade from Des Moines, contributed to the Lumberjacks' playoff run with his imposing blend of physicality and size down low. He chipped in some offense - five points for Muskegon, 17 overall - but more importantly performed many of the unsung roles vital on a successful hockey team, helping the Jacks finish 31-23-10.
• 2013 F Dylan Richard (Spruce Grove Saints - AJHL) led the Saints in scoring with 22 goals and 42 points, helping the team to the AJHL North Division regular season and playoff championships and finishing as a finalist for the league's MVP award. Although the Saints ultimately lost in the AJHL finals to the Brooks Bandits, Richard scored seven times in the Saints' 16 playoff games.
• 2013 D Mike Williamson (Spruce Grove Saints - AJHL) was plagued by injuries for much of the season, but was still able to chip in 11 points in 23 regular season games to help the Saints finish 35-16-9, five points ahead of second-place Grand Prairie. He played in all but one game of Spruce Grove's playoff run to help the team to the Gas Drive Cup finals. Williamson also was the 183rd-best North American skater in the final CSS rankings ahead of next month's NHL Entry Draft.

Eamon McAdam

Goaltender
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
6'2", 185 pounds
Perkasie, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 9/24/1994

Date	Opponent	Score	SA	GA	Sv%	GAA
4/23	vs. Fargo	L 3-6	15	1	0.933	2.27	Box Score
4/24	at Fargo	L 3-4	49	4	0.918	3.60	Box Score

Cal Petersen, who started Waterloo's first four playoff games in goal, won ugly to get the Black Hawks out to a 2-1 first-round series lead, but faltered in game four on April 23rd... McAdam mopped up over the second half of the contest, playing well enough to earn a start in the decisive game five, and he did not disappoint in making 45 saves behind a sometimes defense-optional team... Minnesota commit Gabe Guertler, however, ended Waterloo's once-promising season with a second-chance goal 6:38 into overtime after Alex Iafallo forced extra hockey with 3:34 left... McAdam's final regular-season stats included a 17-9-3 record, two shutouts, and a 3.45 goals against average, but his campaign was probably most notable for the litany of accolades earned throughout and mentioned at the top of the post... next up, he'll participate at the NHL Scouting Combine from May 27th through June 1st in Toronto, and on June 30th at the NHL Entry Draft, he'll hope that one franchise shares the opinion of Central Scouting, which tabbed him as their number six North American goalie in the final rankings.

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Eric Scheid

Forward
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5'9", 163 pounds
Coon Rapids, MN
Entering 2013
DOB 5/5/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/23	at Sioux Falls	L 0-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score

The Stars likely regret their missed opportunity to close out Sioux Falls on home ice in game four, as they dropped that game while holding a 2-1 series lead (covered in the last Commit Cycle), then were shut out on the road in the Western Conference semifinal's rubber match to end their season... in all, it was still a successful year for Scheid, who led Lincoln in scoring with 23 goals and 59 points... the Alaska-Anchorage transfer also led the USHL in plus-minus for much of the season, finishing +37 and fifth in the league to help the Stars to a 39-22-3 record and a fourth-place finish.

Commit Cycle: April 23 (Men)

As the primary hockey season winds down, so too does Commit Cycle - once each future Nittany Lion concludes his quest for a 2012-2013 championship (or championships), he is removed from this bi-weekly post, with the series paused for the summer once they're all gone. Playing hockey at a high level is a year-round commitment of course, so information floating out there during the "offseason" will still be passed along, but through Three Stars (for the small stuff) or a stand-alone entry (for the big stuff) instead.

Here are the removed players and a quick look at how their seasons turned out. As always, check M Current Commitments for full stats.

• 2015 F A.J. Greer (Kimball Union Academy - New England Prep) enjoyed a highly-successful first year in New Hampshire after coming to the states from his native Quebec. The power forward finished sixth in scoring, with 16 goals on a 19 assists, on a stacked team that had ten Division I commitments and went 27-2-0 in the regular season - earning a second-team all-scholastic underclass team nod from Over The Boards. The season, however, ended in disappointment when the top-seeded Wildcats were stunned 4-1 by Gunnery in the opening round of the Stuart/Corkery Tournament, the New England prep championships.
• 2014 F James Robinson (Langley Rivermen - BCHL), despite a quick ouster from the playoffs at the hands of the Surrey Eagles, had a fantastic rookie season in the BCHL. He helped the Rivermen to a 24-26-6 regular season record with 42 points, good for third on the team in scoring, with his 33 assists rating second best among all first-year players in the league.
• 2014 D Bo Pellah (Alberni Valley Bulldogs - BCHL), after briefly teaming up with Robinson in Langley, was traded to the Bulldogs early in his second BCHL season. He transitioned seamlessly, leading the Bulldogs' blueliners in scoring with four goals and 29 assists. Alberni Valley qualified for the playoffs with a 29-20-7 record and went on a thrilling run, recovering from an 0-2 best-of-five hole against Nanaimo in the first round and a 1-2 deficit against Victoria in the second round to win both series. Powerful Surrey proved too much in the Coastal Conference finals, however, sweeping the Bulldogs out of contention.
• 2013 D David Thompson (Chilliwack Chiefs - BCHL) joined Robinson and Pellah in being knocked out of the playoffs by Surrey, with the Chiefs falling via a second-round sweep after taking out Prince George in five games in the opening round. The Pennsylvania native closed his junior career by captaining his team to a 33-21-2 regular season mark and, like Pellah, led his team in blueliner scoring with 27 points while also providing strong positional play and physicality.
• 2015 F Chase Berger (St. Louis AAA Blues 18U/Saint Louis University HS) very nearly reached the pinnacle with both of his teams, taking the Mid-States Club Hockey Association Challenge Cup title with SLUHS by topping rival Christian Brothers 2-1 in overtime. Berger assisted on the championship-winning goal then, with the AAA Blues, scored the Central District clincher to propel that team to the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships. At the tournament, his eight points in six games helped advance the Blues to the title game, but a 4-3 overtime loss to Neponset Valley (after leading 3-2 until eight seconds remained in regulation) forced Berger to settle for a silver medal.
• 2015 D Kevin Kerr (Team Comcast 18U/Holy Ghost Prep) also did well with both his school and club teams. Comcast took the Atlantic District bid to USA Hockey Tier I 18U nationals, and advanced to the quarterfinals before - in quite a case of foreshadowing, relative to Berger - losing to eventual champion Neponset Valley, 4-3 in overtime. Meanwhile, Holy Ghost enjoyed a typical winning season but succumbed 5-2 to La Salle College High School in the finals of the AAA Flyers Cup, the big-school eastern PA championship.
• 2013 F David Goodwin (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - USHL) didn't miss a beat following an early-season trade from Sioux City and posted his typically-robust stat line (13 goals and 30 assists in 64 games when combining totals from both teams) despite the Riders' anemic offense that contributed to a 25-30-9 record and missing the Eastern Conference playoffs by 13 points. The heady center, notably, finished his three-year USHL career with 118 points in 179 games.
• 2015 F Alec Marsh (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - USHL) joined Goodwin in an early trip to the golf course but still turned in a great rookie season in the USHL. The New Jersey native, after irregular appearances in the lineup early on, was more or less a fixture in the top 12 by the end of the campaign. Marsh finished with four goals and 11 points in 40 games and even made a cameo on SportsCenter, thanks to his assist on a spectacular goal by linemate Dylan McLaughlin back in October.

Ricky DeRosa

Forward
Port Huron Fighting Falcons (NAHL)
6'1", 189 pounds
Aston, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 2/9/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/18	vs. Soo	L 1-4	1	1	2	0	Box Score

The Soo Eagles, up 2-0 in the best-of-five NAHL North Division semifinals at last week's update, completed the sweep of DeRosa's Fighting Falcons with a 4-1 win in Port Huron on Thursday... the Jr. Flyers product, despite the setback, had an outstanding playoff run with seven points in six games - including two during a third-period comeback leading to an overtime win at Johnstown in a decisive game three of the first round of the playoffs... perhaps even more significantly, Port Huron's captain and all-time leading scorer departs for Penn State after helping to push the Falcons from a dreadful expansion team in 2010-2011 to a successful organization that has now qualified for the playoffs in back to back seasons.

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Patrick Koudys

Defenseman
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'3", 198 pounds
Smithville, ON
Entering 2013
DOB 11/15/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/17	at Dubuque	L 1-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/19	at Dubuque	L 3-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/21	vs. Dubuque	L 2-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score

The Dubuque Fighting Saints, simply put, showed the form that generated a 45-11-8 regular season record and won the Anderson Cup as the USHL regular season champs in sweeping Muskegon out of the first round of the playoffs... still, thanks in part to Koudys' arrival from RPI for his NCAA-required sit-out year before heading to PSU, the Lumberjacks performed a remarkable about-face to the tune of a 31-23-10 regular season record after a dismal 17-35-8 mark in 2011-2012... the 2011 Washington Capitals draft pick will undoubtedly be a steadying influence on the Nittany Lions' blueline next season - he's composed and intelligent, with an ability to regulate the game with error-free defense play.

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Eamon McAdam

Goaltender
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
6'2", 185 pounds
Perkasie, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 9/24/1994

Date	Opponent	Score	SA	GA	Sv%	GAA
4/17	at Fargo	L 2-3	--	-	---	---	Box Score
4/19	at Fargo	W 5-4	--	-	---	---	Box Score
4/21	vs. Fargo	W 6-4	--	-	---	---	Box Score

Despite closing the regular season with two strong starts in Waterloo's last four games, McAdam found himself backing up Notre Dame commit and fellow 2013 NHL Entry Draft hopeful Cal Petersen to open the USHL playoffs, and Peterson has helped the Hawks to a 2-1 best-of-five lead over Fargo, with game four scheduled for Tuesday... on a more positive note, the pride of Perkasie continues to enjoy the high esteem of NHL scouts - he has been invited to the NHL Scouting Combine from May 27th through June 1st in Toronto... NHL Central Scouting Services asked seven North American goalies to the combine, meaning it's extremely likely that McAdam will receive a sturdy position when CSS releases its final pre-draft ranking Wednesday morning.

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Dylan Richard

Forward
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'0", 185 pounds
Sherwood Park, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 2/5/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/17	vs. Brooks	L 1-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/19	at Brooks	L 5-6	1	0	1	0	Box Score

Spruce Grove, the North Division regular season and playoff champions, didn't have enough in the tank to stop the Brooks Bandits from taking a second straight AJHL Gas Drive Cup championship in five games (Brooks led the series 2-1 at last week's update)... a furious Saints rally from a 4-1 deficit late in the second period of game five - capped by Richard's goal with 2:31 remaining in regulation - forced overtime, but the Bandits R.J. Reed delivered the title to Brooks 3:10 into the extra period.

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Zach Saar

Right Wing
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'4", 210 pounds
Plainwell, MI
Entering 2013
DOB 6/22/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/17	at Dubuque	L 1-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/19	at Dubuque	L 3-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/21	vs. Dubuque	L 2-3	0	1	1	0	Box Score

Although the Lumberjacks were quickly bounced out of the USHL playoffs, it does need to be said that, thanks in no small part to Saar, they didn't go quietly... facing a 2-0 third-period deficit in a do-or-die game three, Muskegon dominated the last 20 minutes of regulation, outshooting heavily-favored Dubuque 15-4 and scoring twice to force overtime, thanks in part to Saar's assist on Cullen Hurley's 2-1 goal... the Jacks, through a frenetic 11:12 of sudden death, had quality chances to extend the series but just couldn't find a winner before Frank DiChiara punished a tired group of home team skaters (not including either of the PSU commits) that got pinned in their own end.

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Eric Scheid

Forward
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5'9", 163 pounds
Coon Rapids, MN
Entering 2013
DOB 5/5/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/16	at Sioux Falls	L 2-3	0	1	1	2	Box Score
4/17	at Sioux Falls	W 4-0	1	0	1	0	Box Score
4/19	vs. Sioux Falls	W 4-1	1	0	1	0	Box Score
4/20	vs. Sioux Falls	L 1-2	0	0	0	2	Box Score

The Stars recovered from an overtime loss to open their USHL playoff series with the Sioux Falls Stampede by winning two straight to take the lead in the best-of-five matchup... Scheid, Lincoln's leading point-getter during the regular season, scored in both of the wins, potting the 2-0 goal on a deflection in game two and adding a late power play strike in game three... Lincoln, however, missed a chance to close out the series on home ice and will now head back to Sioux Falls for a winner-take-all game five Tuesday night.

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Mike Williamson

Defenseman
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'3", 210 pounds
Leduc, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 9/5/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/17	vs. Brooks	L 1-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/19	at Brooks	L 5-6	0	0	0	0	Box Score

While the Saints failed to recover the AJHL crown they last won in 2011 before Williamson joined the team full time (he played in one game that year, while fellow Nittany Lions Richard and David Glen were regulars on the squad), the speedy blueliner who also can play forward showed his brilliance this season when not battling a series of injuries... in all, he played 23 regular season games and notched 11 points, adding four more in 15 playoff games - but beyond the scoresheet, Williamson's wheels provided space for the Saints' forwards to operate, including Richard, who led the 35-16-9 squad in both goals and points.

Commit Cycle: April 16 (Men)

As the primary hockey season winds down, so too does Commit Cycle - once each future Nittany Lion concludes his quest for a 2012-2013 championship (or championships), he is removed from this bi-weekly post, with the series paused for the summer once they're all gone. Playing hockey at a high level is a year-round commitment of course, so information floating out there during the "offseason" will still be passed along, but through Three Stars (for the small stuff) or a stand-alone entry (for the big stuff) instead.

Here are the removed players and a quick look at how their seasons turned out. As always, check M Current Commitments for full stats.

• 2015 F A.J. Greer (Kimball Union Academy - New England Prep) enjoyed a highly-successful first year in New Hampshire after coming to the states from his native Quebec. The power forward finished sixth in scoring, with 16 goals on a 19 assists, on a stacked team that had ten Division I commitments and went 27-2-0 in the regular season - earning a second-team all-scholastic underclass team nod from Over The Boards. The season, however, ended in disappointment when the top-seeded Wildcats were stunned 4-1 by Gunnery in the opening round of the Stuart/Corkery Tournament, the New England prep championships.
• 2014 F James Robinson (Langley Rivermen - BCHL), despite a quick ouster from the playoffs at the hands of the Surrey Eagles, had a fantastic rookie season in the BCHL. He helped the Rivermen to a 24-26-6 regular season record with 42 points, good for third on the team in scoring, with his 33 assists rating second best among all first-year players in the league.
• 2014 D Bo Pellah (Alberni Valley Bulldogs - BCHL), after briefly teaming up with Robinson in Langley, was traded to the Bulldogs early in his second BCHL season. He transitioned seamlessly, leading the Bulldogs' blueliners in scoring with four goals and 29 assists. Alberni Valley qualified for the playoffs with a 29-20-7 record and went on a thrilling run, recovering from an 0-2 best-of-five hole against Nanaimo in the first round and a 1-2 deficit against Victoria in the second round to win both series. Powerful Surrey proved too much in the Coastal Conference finals, however, sweeping the Bulldogs out of contention.
• 2013 D David Thompson (Chilliwack Chiefs - BCHL) joined Robinson and Pellah in being knocked out of the playoffs by Surrey, with the Chiefs falling via a second-round sweep after taking out Prince George in five games in the opening round. The Pennsylvania native closed his junior career by captaining his team to a 33-21-2 regular season mark and, like Pellah, led his team in blueliner scoring with 27 points while also providing strong positional play and physicality.
• 2015 F Chase Berger (St. Louis AAA Blues 18U/Saint Louis University HS) very nearly reached the pinnacle with both of his teams, taking the Mid-States Club Hockey Association Challenge Cup title with SLUHS by topping rival Christian Brothers 2-1 in overtime. Berger assisted on the championship-winning goal then, with the AAA Blues, scored the Central District clincher to propel that team to the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships. At the tournament, his eight points in six games helped advance the Blues to the title game, but a 4-3 overtime loss to Neponset Valley (after leading 3-2 until eight seconds remained in regulation) forced Berger to settle for a silver medal.
• 2015 D Kevin Kerr (Team Comcast 18U/Holy Ghost Prep) also did well with both his school and club teams. Comcast took the Atlantic District bid to USA Hockey Tier I 18U nationals, and advanced to the quarterfinals before - in quite a case of foreshadowing, relative to Berger - losing to eventual champion Neponset Valley, 4-3 in overtime. Meanwhile, Holy Ghost enjoyed a typical winning season but succumbed 5-2 to La Salle College High School in the finals of the AAA Flyers Cup, the big-school eastern PA championship.

Ricky DeRosa

Forward
Port Huron Fighting Falcons (NAHL)
6'1", 189 pounds
Aston, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 2/9/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/4	vs. Johnstown	W 3-0	1	1	2	0	Box Score
4/5	vs. Johnstown	L 0-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/7	at Johnstown	W 4-3	1	1	2	0	Box Score
4/12	at Soo	L 2-4	1	1	2	0	Box Score
4/13	at Soo	L 1-4	0	1	1	2	Box Score

DeRosa, a 0.71 point-per-game player during the regular season, is beast moding the NAHL playoffs so far with seven points in five contests, helping his team to a best-of-three first-round win over Johnstown... in the series rubber match, played in the Slap Shot-famous Cambria County War Memorial, Port Huron faced a 3-1 deficit with 7:01 left, but DeRosa scored on a power play deflection then assisted on the tying goal with 35 seconds left to force an ultimately-successful overtime... the North Division semifinals (there are four NAHL divisions, so there are 16 teams left right now) haven't gone quite as well, with Soo forcing the Fighting Falcons to the edge of the elimination cliff with wins in the first two games of the best-of-five series... DeRosa will try to captain his team back into the series with home games on Thursday and (if necessary) Friday.

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David Goodwin

Center
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5'9", 170 pounds
St. Louis, MO
Entering 2013
DOB 2/27/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/5	at Chicago	L 1-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/6	at Waterloo	L 2-5	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/12	vs. Team USA	W 2-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/13	vs. Team USA	L 2-3	1	0	1	0	Box Score

Cedar Rapids played out the string to the tune of a 25-30-9 finish, and was the only USHL team with a Penn State commit (two, actually, including Alec Marsh) to miss the playoffs... Goodwin, who will be a freshman at PSU next season, finished his time in juniors with a 43-point campaign, good for second on the RoughRiders after the well-traveled St. Louis native was traded to the third different USHL club of his career (Green Bay and Sioux City being the others) early in the season.

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Patrick Koudys

Defenseman
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'3", 198 pounds
Smithville, ON
Entering 2013
DOB 11/15/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/5	vs. Green Bay	L 3-4	0	1	1	0	Box Score
4/6	vs. Green Bay	W 5-1	0	0	0	2	Box Score
4/12	at Green Bay	L 1-3	1	0	1	0	Box Score
4/13	at Green Bay	L 5-6	0	0	0	0	Box Score

Koudys scored his first (and only) goal of the USHL regular season (against 14 assists) to break a scoreless tie at Green Bay last Friday, but the Lumberjacks couldn't find any other offense in the eventual 3-1 defeat... Muskegon dropped four of its final five games to finish 31-23-10, and while that was good enough to qualify for the Eastern Conference playoffs, the limp to the finish forced the team into a first-round playoff series with league-leader Dubuque, a best-of-five series that opens Wednesday.

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Alec Marsh

Forward
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5'10", 175 pounds
Bridgewater, NJ
Entering 2015
DOB 11/28/1995

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/5	at Chicago	L 1-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/6	at Waterloo	L 2-5	-	-	-	-	Box Score
4/12	vs. Team USA	W 2-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/13	vs. Team USA	L 2-3	0	0	0	2	Box Score

Marsh, on the opposite end of his USHL career from now-and-future teammate Goodwin, saw his ice time increase throughout his rookie year, eventually finishing with 11 points in 40 (of 64) games... notably, and perhaps contributing to his apparent increase in value, he led the team with a plus-minus rating of +2, and was one of only three players (of those who finished the season with Cedar Rapids) in the black.

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Eamon McAdam

Goaltender
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
6'2", 185 pounds
Perkasie, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 9/24/1994

Date	Opponent	Score	SA	GA	Sv%	GAA
4/5	at Dubuque	W 4-3	--	-	---	---	Box Score
4/6	vs. Cedar Rapids	W 5-2	--	-	---	---	Box Score
4/7	vs. Des Moines	W 7-1	24	1	0.958	1.00	Box Score
4/13	at Indiana	W 3-2	--	-	---	---	Box Score
4/14	at Indiana	W 5-2	30	2	0.933	2.00	Box Score

Waterloo enters the USHL playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference at 39-21-4 and will open a best-of-five conference semifinal at Fargo on Wednesday... the Black Hawks are technically the series underdogs, but finished just one point behind the Force and closed the regular season as the hottest team in the league, thanks to an eight-game winning streak... after losing his place in the goalie rotation with Notre Dame commit Cal Petersen last time around, McAdam may have earned the spot back with two strong performances in Waterloo's last three games, including a vital win over Indiana that allowed the team to avoid conference regular-season champion Sioux Falls in the opening round... he closed the regular season with a 17-9-3 record and two shutouts - as well as with a ranking of third among NHL draft-eligible goalies, according to ISS.

Related stories:
2013 ISS Draft Rankings: April (The Pipeline Show)

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Dylan Richard

Forward
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'0", 185 pounds
Sherwood Park, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 2/5/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/3	at Whitecourt	W 6-3	0	1	1	0	Box Score
4/5	vs. Whitecourt	W 2-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/12	at Brooks	L 2-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/13	at Brooks	L 1-5	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/15	vs. Brooks	W 3-1	0	1	1	0	Box Score

Richard has six goals and 11 points in 14 playoff games overall, but was relatively quiet offensively over the last two weeks as the Saints finished off the Whitecourt Wolverines in five games to win the North Division playoff title and advance to the AJHL Gas Drive Cup championship series... favored Brooks, who went an unbelievable 53-4-3 during the regular season, jumped out to a 2-0 best-of-seven lead before Spruce Grove pulled themselves back into the series with a vital game three win... the Saints will attempt to even things up at home Wednesday night, with games five, six and seven (the last two if necessary) scheduled for Friday, Sunday and next Tuesday, April 23rd.

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Zach Saar

Right Wing
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'4", 210 pounds
Plainwell, MI
Entering 2013
DOB 6/22/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/5	vs. Green Bay	L 3-4	1	0	1	2	Box Score
4/6	vs. Green Bay	W 5-1	0	0	0	2	Box Score
4/12	at Green Bay	L 1-3	0	0	0	5	Box Score
4/13	at Green Bay	L 5-6	0	0	0	0	Box Score

With teammate Koudys, Saar - following an early-season trade from Des Moines - provided a noticeable size advantage against most Lumberjacks opponents... he has relished something of an enforcer's role, leading the team in penalty minutes with 123, the last five of those being a scrap with Green Bay's Brandon Kirk in which the son of former PSU football player Brad Saar earned the decision... the Michigander can also provide timely offense, as shown with his goal to open the scoring one week earlier against the Gamblers, and will probably be a key player if Muskegon is to upset Dubuque in the playoffs.

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Eric Scheid

Forward
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5'9", 163 pounds
Coon Rapids, MN
Entering 2013
DOB 5/5/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/5	vs. Omaha	W 4-3	0	1	1	0	Box Score
4/6	at Omaha	L 2-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/12	vs. Tri-City	W 5-2	0	1	1	0	Box Score
4/13	at Tri-City	W 4-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score

The Stars locked down fourth place to clinch the final Western Conference playoff spot at 39-22-3 - an outcome that forced archrival Omaha to hit the links early for the first time in 24 years... in the game that eliminated the Lancers, Scheid assisted on Vinni Letteri's early third period goal that temporarily put Lincoln ahead 3-2... he closed the regular season as the Stars' leader in several statistical categories, including assists (36), points (59) and plus-minus (+37), numbers good 16th, 21st and 5th respectively across the entire league... Lincoln will open a Western Conference semifinal series at Sioux Falls Tuesday night.

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Mike Williamson

Defenseman
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'3", 210 pounds
Leduc, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 9/5/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
4/3	at Whitecourt	W 6-3	0	1	1	5	Box Score
4/5	vs. Whitecourt	W 2-1	0	1	1	2	Box Score
4/12	at Brooks	L 2-3	0	0	0	4	Box Score
4/13	at Brooks	L 1-5	-	-	-	-	Box Score
4/15	vs. Brooks	W 3-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score

It's unknown whether Williamson's absence for game two of the AJHL Gas Drive Cup finals was disciplinary or injury related, but regardless, he returned with his impressive blend of offense and physicality for the important game three victory that pulled Spruce Grove back into contention... should the Saints upset the Bandits for the AJHL title, they'll advance to the Western Canada Cup against the winners of the BCHL, MJHL and SJHL, which will determine two participants in the RBC Cup, Canada's Junior A national championship.

Commit Cycle: April 3 (Men)

It's that horrible time of year again, when the primary hockey season winds down and we start to remove players from the Commit Cycle posts, before pausing the series for the summer once they're all gone. Playing hockey at a high level is a year-round commitment of course, but information from all of the camps, showcases and leagues during the "offseason" isn't gained steadily enough to maintain a regular post (in cases where it is available, it will still be passed along, of course).

Here are the removed players and how their seasons concluded. As always, check M Current Commitments for full stats.

• A.J. Greer (Kimball Union Academy) enjoyed a highly-successful first year in New Hampshire after coming to the states from his native Quebec. The power forward finished sixth in scoring, with 16 goals on a 19 assists, on a stacked team that had ten Division I commitments and went 27-2-0 in the regular season - earning a second-team all-scholastic underclass team nod from Over The Boards. The season, however, ended in disappointment when the top-seeded Wildcats were stunned 4-1 by Gunnery in the opening round of the Stuart/Corkery Tournament, the New England prep championship tournament.
• James Robinson (Langley Rivermen), despite a quick ouster from the playoffs at the hands of the Surrey Eagles, had a fantastic rookie season in the BCHL. He helped the Rivermen to a 24-26-6 regular season record with 42 points, good for third on the team in scoring, with his 33 assists rating second best among all first-year players in the league.

Chase Berger

Forward
St. Louis AAA Blues (Midget Major 18U)
6'0", 190 pounds
St. Louis, MO
Entering 2015
DOB 11/14/1994



USA Hockey's Tier I 18U boys championships open on Wednesday in Moon Township, PA, with Berger and his team taking on the Cleveland Barons at 6:00 p.m... they'll then face Honeybaked on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. and Kevin Kerr's Team Comcast on Friday at 7:45 p.m. with the hope of doing well enough in those games to advance to the weekend's playoff rounds.

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Ricky DeRosa

Forward
Port Huron Fighting Falcons (NAHL)
6'1", 189 pounds
Aston, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 2/9/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/22	at Janesville	W 4-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/23	at Janesville	W 4-3	1	0	1	0	Box Score
3/28	vs. Janesville	W 5-0	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/29	vs. Michigan	W 4-0	1	0	1	0	Box Score
3/30	vs. Michigan	W 7-4	1	3	4	0	Box Score

Thanks largely to an incredible late-season surge that saw the Falcons win their last eight regular season games (and 13 of the last 16), Port Huron clinched an NAHL playoff spot at the fourth-place team in the North Division... their quest for the Robertson Cup opens Thursday, with a best-of-three play-in series against the Johnstown Tomahawks (incidentally, Johnstown will host the if-necessary game three on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. if you're in the area), and will hopefully continue with a best-of-five division semifinal series against either Soo or Jamestown... DeRosa ended the regular season as the Falcons' leading scorer, with 42 points in 59 games.

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David Goodwin

Center
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5'9", 170 pounds
St. Louis, MO
Entering 2013
DOB 2/27/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/22	vs. Dubuque	L 2-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/23	vs. Green Bay	W 6-5	1	0	1	0	Box Score
3/28	at Team USA	W 5-1	0	0	0	2	Box Score
3/29	at Youngstown	W 6-3	2	2	4	0	Box Score
3/30	at Youngstown	W 5-2	0	1	1	0	Box Score

Cedar Rapids was eliminated from the USHL playoffs shortly after the last update, then - perhaps due to the pressure shutting off - got hot with three wins over playoff-bound Green Bay and Youngstown, as well as a decisive 5-1 count against the national development program... Goodwin's 42 points (split between the Riders and Sioux City, his home at the beginning of the year) are good for second on the team... as part of his explosion against the Phantoms, he assisted now-and-future teammate Alec Marsh on the 4-2 goal that wound up as the winner.

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Kevin Kerr

Defenseman
Team Comcast (Midget Major 18U)
5'11", 162 pounds
Bensalem, PA
Entering 2015
DOB 2/9/1996



Kerr and Team Comcast, as mentioned, will face Berger's Blues on Friday at 7:45 p.m. in the pool round of the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships at Moon Township, PA's Island Sports Complex... prior to that, Comcast will play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. and the Buffalo Regals on Thursday at 5:45 p.m. as they will also seek to play deep into the weekend.

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Patrick Koudys

Defenseman
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'3", 198 pounds
Smithville, ON
Entering 2013
DOB 11/15/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/22	vs. Chicago	W 4-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/23	vs. Team USA	W 4-3	0	0	0	2	Box Score
3/29	vs. Chicago	L 3-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score

With just three games over the two weeks, the Lumberjacks watched as Green Bay made up games in hand and passed them for second place in the Eastern Conference... still, at 30-20-10, Muskegon has clinched a playoff spot and will spend the last four games of the regular season jostling for seeding with the Gamblers and Youngstown... the Jacks' 161 goals against this season (2.68 per game) remains the second-best total in the league, thanks in no small part to Koudys.

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Alec Marsh

Forward
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5'10", 175 pounds
Bridgewater, NJ
Entering 2015
DOB 11/28/1995

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/22	vs. Dubuque	L 2-4	0	1	1	0	Box Score
3/23	vs. Green Bay	W 6-5	0	1	1	0	Box Score
3/28	at Team USA	W 5-1	0	1	1	0	Box Score
3/29	at Youngstown	W 6-3	1	0	1	0	Box Score
3/30	at Youngstown	W 5-2	0	0	0	2	Box Score

As Cedar Rapids plays out the string, Marsh and other youngsters have received more opportunities, and the USHL rookie has made his count with probably his best stretch of the season... as mentioned, the goal against Youngstown, assisted by Goodwin, held up as the winner... overall, Marsh added 57 percent to his season scoring total, which now sits at 11 points, over the last two weeks.

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Eamon McAdam

Goaltender
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
6'2", 185 pounds
Perkasie, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 9/24/1994

Date	Opponent	Score	SA	GA	Sv%	GAA
3/22	vs. Fargo	L 4-5	--	-	---	---	Box Score
3/23	vs. Dubuque	L 1-4	23	3	0.870	4.50	Box Score
3/29	vs. Tri-City	W 7-0	--	-	---	---	Box Score
3/30	vs. Fargo	W 2-1	--	-	---	---	Box Score
4/2	at Green Bay	W 7-4	--	-	---	---	Box Score

Suffice it to say that McAdam has had and will have better Commit Cycle periods - he was pulled from his one start over the last two weeks after two periods, then promptly lost his spot in the Black Hawks' goalie rotation to Cal Petersen, who allowed five goals in the next three games... Waterloo is 34-21-4 and in the driver's seat for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs, five points with ahead of pursuing Omaha with five games remaining (and notably, just four for the Lancers).

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Bo Pellah

Defenseman
Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)
5'11", 150 pounds
New Westminster, BC
Entering 2014
DOB 5/25/1995

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/19	vs. Nanaimo	W 3-2	0	1	1	2	Box Score
3/20	at Nanaimo	W 2-1	0	0	0	4	Box Score
3/22	at Victoria	L 2-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/23	vs. Victoria	W 2-0	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/25	at Victoria	L 1-4	0	0	0	2	Box Score
3/26	vs. Victoria	W 4-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/27	at Victoria	W 3-2	0	1	1	2	Box Score
3/29	at Surrey	L 0-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/30	at Surrey	L 2-3	0	1	1	0	Box Score
4/1	vs. Surrey	L 2-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/2	vs. Surrey	L 2-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score

Alberni Valley was swept out of the Coastal Conference finals by Surrey (a common nemesis for PSU-committed BCHLers, as we'll see), but not before the Bulldogs put together quite a thrilling playoff run... in the first round, they fell behind Nanaimo 0-2 in a best-of-five series before pulling off the reverse sweep with three straight wins to advance... the deficit wasn't quite as great against Victoria, but still required consecutive overtime wins on March 26th and 27th to clinch the series... the team then ran out of gas, understandable considering the emotional elements combined with a grueling 14 games/19 days playoff schedule.

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Dylan Richard

Forward
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'0", 185 pounds
Sherwood Park, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 2/5/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/20	vs. Sherwood Park	L 1-2	0	0	0	2	Box Score
3/22	at Sherwood Park	W 4-0	1	0	1	0	Box Score
3/28	vs. Whitecourt	W 2-1	1	0	1	2	Box Score
3/30	vs. Whitecourt	W 5-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
4/1	at Whitecourt	L 3-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score

After carrying over a 3-1 best-of-seven series lead over Sherwood Park from the last Commit Cycle, the Saints polished off the Crusaders in six to advance to the North Division finals (the league semifinals), where they jumped out to a 2-1 series lead on Whitecourt, with the final four games of the series (the last two if necessary, of course) scheduled over the next six days... Richard's unassisted shorthanded goal with just 3:20 remaining in the third period forced overtime in the eventual game one win over the Wolverines.

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Zach Saar

Right Wing
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'4", 210 pounds
Plainwell, MI
Entering 2013
DOB 6/22/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/22	vs. Chicago	W 4-1	0	1	1	4	Box Score
3/23	vs. Team USA	W 4-3	0	0	0	2	Box Score
3/29	vs. Chicago	L 3-4	1	1	2	2	Box Score

Saar burned the Steel, his team for his first 55 USHL games, for three points in two games, although Chicago won the second meeting... the power forward's goal on March 29th was his first since joining the Lumberjacks, and he now has four points in 17 games with the team - all in his last four games.

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Eric Scheid

Forward
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5'9", 163 pounds
Coon Rapids, MN
Entering 2013
DOB 5/5/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/22	vs. Sioux Falls	L 1-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/23	vs. Omaha	W 3-2	0	1	1	0	Box Score
3/29	at Sioux City	W 3-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/30	at Sioux Falls	W 4-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score

It was a quiet two weeks from Scheid but Lincoln, at 36-21-3, is about as close to a team can get to clinching the playoffs without actually doing it... the Stars are eight points ahead of fifth-place Omaha, with each team still having four games to go - in theory, the Stars could be knocked out with four consecutive losses and four consecutive wins by the Lancers, as well as two more wins by the Waterloo Black Hawks, as unlikely as that scenario may be... the archrival Stars and Lancers meet for games on Friday and Saturday, which will give a pretty good indication of how things might progress.

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David Thompson

Defenseman
Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)
6'2", 187 pounds
Glen Mills, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 5/19/1992

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/19	at Prince George	L 2-5	0	1	1	2	Box Score
3/20	vs. Prince George	W 5-2	0	1	1	2	Box Score
3/22	at Surrey	L 0-4	0	0	0	2	Box Score
3/23	at Surrey	L 4-5	0	1	1	0	Box Score
3/25	vs. Surrey	L 2-3	0	0	0	0	Box Score

Thompson had a solid playoff run to close his BCHL career before bringing his power play acumen and physicality to Penn State for next season, but Chilliwack was dumped out of the playoffs by Surrey (which went on to sweep Pellah's Alberni Valley in the next round, of course) via a best-of-five sweep in the Coastal Conference semifinals... prior to that, the Chiefs closed out Prince George in a first-round series that went the full five games.

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Mike Williamson

Defenseman
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'3", 210 pounds
Leduc, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 9/5/1993

Date	Opponent	Score	G	A	Pts.	PIM
3/20	vs. Sherwood Park	L 1-2	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/22	at Sherwood Park	W 4-0	0	0	0	4	Box Score
3/28	vs. Whitecourt	W 2-1	0	0	0	0	Box Score
3/30	vs. Whitecourt	W 5-1	0	0	0	2	Box Score
4/1	at Whitecourt	L 3-4	0	0	0	0	Box Score

Despite a point-free two weeks, Williamson and the Saints' defense gave up next to nothing the other way, surrendering 18 times in the team's nine playoff games, including just seven over the most recent five... Spruce Grove will face the winner of the South Division series between Okotoks and Brooks in the AJHL finals.