Atlantic Youth Hockey League

Four AMHL Alumni to Skate for NCAA Championship

Release Date : 04/10/2015

BOSTON, MASS. – The 2014-15 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey season will come down to one final game as Providence College and Boston University meet on Saturday evening in an all-Hockey East final at 7:30 pm in the TD Garden.

The Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey League was well represented among the 16-team field that began play on March 27th with 26 alumni spread out among eight of the sixteen competing teams.

Four AMHL alumni will take to the ice on Saturday evening in a game broadcast live to the nation on ESPN.

Boston University: Defenseman Brandon Fortunato (’96 birth year/Albertson, N.Y.) spent seven seasons in the AYHL, six coming with the Long Island Gulls (Squirt Minor through Bantam Major) and one with the Long Island Royals (Midget 16U National). After his time on the island, Fortunato was a late addition to the US NTDP (USHL) program where he played over 200 games for Team USA, winning a gold medal in the 18U World Junior Classic in 2014. Fortunato saw action in 40 games in his freshman season, scoring 18 points (1G 17A) and was a +16, all without committing a single penalty.

Forward J.J. Piccinich (’96 birth year/Englewood, N.J./Toronto Maple Leafs) joined Boston as part of its heralded 2014-15 freshman class after an outstanding 2013-14 season that saw the forward average a point per game for the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), dress in 1 game for the US NTDP and get drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft. Piccinich bounced between the Long Island Gulls and the North Jersey Avalanche in his time in the AYHL, spending two seasons with the Gulls and five with the Avalanche. Piccinich was selected by, and made, Youngstown directly from the Avalanche midget program after he averaged just under two points per game in 2011-12. In his freshman season, Piccinich saw action in 25 games, scoring one goal and three assists.

In Boston’s three NCAA tournament victories, Fortunato and Piccinich have each registered one assist.

Providence College: Sophomore defenseman Kyle McKenzie (’93 birth year/Dallas, Tx.) spent five seasons in the AYHL, playing with the Philadelphia Little Flyers (Pee Wee Major – Bantam Major), the Philadelphia Junior Flyers (Midget 16U National) and Team Comcast (Midget 18U). McKenzie made his way to the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) before reporting to Providence, where has played in 77 games over the past two seasons. McKenzie has one goal and nine assists in his career with a +23 rating and was in the starting lineup for Providence’s Frozen Four victory over Nebraska-Omaha.

Longtime Long Island Gull Thomas Parisi (’93 birth year/Commack, N.Y.) spent his entire youth career with the Gulls, from Pee Wee through Midget. Parisi moved on to the AJHL (New York Bobcats) and then dressed for ten games with the US NTDP in the 2011-12 season. Over his three-year career at Providence, Parisi has seen action in 105 games with 38 points (10G 28A) and is a +35 for his career.

McKenzie registered one assist and Parisi had a goal and an assist, for the Friars in their run to Saturday’s championship game.

Boston and Providence finished first, and second, respectively in Hockey East. The teams played twice, splitting their matchups with each team registering a road victory.

Click here to follow the NCAA GameCenter for the Frozen Four Final.