Valeri Rykov News Today

Meanwhile, the rest of the Northern Division — the four Massachusetts team — are playing in a more normal playoff format. The top-seeded Junior Bruins defeated the No. 4 Boston Advantage in three games, while the third-seeded Islanders Hockey Club beat the No. 2 South Shore Kings, also in three games. The Jr. Bruins and Islanders HC will meet in the second-round playoff series for the chance to go to the final four. Hodge said that the reason for the separate formats in the North Division i...

Read Article The Thunder defeated the Utica Jr. Comets 5-1 on Tuesday morning in a USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference game at the Advent Health Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida. The win snaps a two-game losing streak for Twin City, which lost 9-2 to the Rockets Hockey Club on Thursday and dropped a 2-1 decision to the Connecticut Jr. Rangers on Sunday. Overall, the Thunder went 7-13 during their six-week stay in Florida. Related “It was a good way to end the Florida experience,...

Devon Bobak woke up ready to stuff pucks Tuesday morning. The Thunder goalie stopped all 31 shots he faced as the Twin City Thunder defeated the Philadelphia Hockey Club in a USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference game at the Advent Ice Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida. “He must of got up early, because he was dialed in,” Thunder assistant coach Cam Robichaud said. “He has been good; in his last five (starts), he has four wins. He has been definitely winning games for us. We hav...

Read Article The Twin City Thunder gave the top team in the USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference all it could handle Friday, but it wasn’t quite enough to earn a victory. The Thunder scored two third-period goals to force overtime, but the Jersey Hitmen scored twice in the shootout to come away with a 4-3 junior hockey win at the Advent Health Ice Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida. “The boys really showed up and competed hard, obviously going up against the Hitmen, the first-pla...

The Twin City Thunder are developing resiliency. After letting a two-goal lead slip in the final five minutes of regulation, a goal by captain Nick Rashkovsky and an empty net goal by Hunter Schmitz gave the Thunder a 5-3 victory over the Utica Jr. Comets in a USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference contest at the Advent Health Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, Florida, on Tuesday. “I thought we played a solid 60 minutes. I think we got into some penalty trouble late in the game and kind ...

Read Article The Twin City Thunder celebrate the victory over the Connecticut Junior Rangers Friday at the Advent Health Center Ice Rink in Wesley Chapel, Florida.  Josh Boyd/USPHL Ever since the Twin City Thunder arrived in Wesley Chapel, Florida, NCDC head coach Dan Hodge has wanted more goal-scoring and being able to hold a lead. On Friday, he got both as the Thunder scored four times in the third period for a 5-4 victory over the Connecticut Junior Rangers at the Advent Health Center Ice...

Read Article The Twin City Thunder took a break from their regular-season schedule down in Wesley Chapel, Florida to take part in the United States Premier League-Professional Women’s Hockey Player’s Association All-Star Series. The Thunder National Collegiate Development Conference team defeated the PWHPA All-Stars 3-2 in overtime Friday. “They played a hard, skilled game,” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “They are up 2-1 with (three) seconds left in the game and we tied it up.” The...

Read Article As the Atlanta Falcons, New York Yankees and even the Boston Bruins will tell you, no lead is safe. Thursday morning, the Twin City Thunder also learned that lesson the hard way after they blew a 5-0 advantage. The New Hampshire Junior Monarchs scored six unanswered goals to defeat the Thunder 6-5 in overtime of a USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference game at the Advent Health Center Ice Rink in Wesley Chapel, Florida. “You take it in, we are fine, it is what it is, i...

Read Article After being shut out by the P.A.L. Islanders 2-0 on Friday and Sunday, the Twin City Thunder’s NCDC team’s line combinations needed a shakeup. Head coach Dan Hodge was looking for a spark, and he got one as the Twin City Thunder defeated the South Shore Kings 6-2 on Tuesday at the Advent Health Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, Florida, as part of the United States Premier Hockey League’s Hub City event. Hodge moved captain Nick Rashkovsky off the top line down to the third line,...

Read Article Two newly acquired players set the pace as Rockets Hockey Club skated past the Twin City Thunder on Thursday. Sam Lipkin, who recently turned 18, and 17-year-old Jake Bongo each scored twice for Rockets HC in a 4-3 USPHL NCDC victory at the Advent Health Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Lipkin, who is committed to play at Quinnipiac University, started the season with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, appearing in six games. Thursday was his was the second gam...