ALUMNI JR ROYALS  DEFENSEMAN RUSLAN PEDAN COMMITS TO BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY

 "This scholarship is what I have been thinking about and waiting for the last three years," said Pedan.  "Bemidji State has a great hockey program and I am very excited to be going there."   

Lately it seems the Jr Royals website has become the Frank DiChiara news page as we are proud to post his progress after being a member of our 2010-11 team.

The Long Island Jr Royals are proud to announce Frank has been selected with the 26th pick overall by the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL.    The Fighting Saints are a prestigious hockey club that have sent many players on to D-1 Universities and NHL careers including Peter and Chris Ferraro.

After having a very successful season with the 2011 Junior Royals team where Frank was seen by several scouts he was tendered by the NAHL St Louis Bandits for the 2011-12 season.  Frank played with St Louis in 59 games scoring 23 goals with 28 assists.    

Frank's on ice work ethic and his off ice academic excellence gave him the opportunity to select the Princeton Tigers for the 2013 academic year.

Junior Royals alumni forward Frank Dichiara commits to Princeton May 11, 2012 

Dichiara, 18, who hails from Ronkonkoma, New York, had a tremendous rookie season with the  St. Louis Bandits of the North American Hockey League in the 2011-12 season.  He was third in team scoring with 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) in 59 games played.  The 6’2/215 lbs. forward helped the Bandits win the Midwest Division regular season and playoff titles and a Runner-Up finish in the Robertson Cup National Championship game.  He registered eight points in 12 playoff games.Dichiara also represented the NAHL 18U Selects Team at the 2012 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament in Troy, Michigan back in February.

“It was a real easy decision for me because I think Princeton has one of the best schools in the country, both academically and athletically,” said Dichiara, who was named to the 2011-12 NAHL All-Rookie 1st Team for his accomplishments this season.  “They really started taking an interest in me at the Top Prospects Tournament and it just took off from there.”

“I thought Frank had a lot of determination from the start,” said Bandits head coach Jeff Brown.  “He came in and right off the bat, he worked hard, paid his dues and put a lot of time and energy into becoming a better hockey player.  He was one of the youngest players on the team and worked his way up to be a top six forward.  He has great hockey sense, size and is a gifted player, so we are very happy for him.”

The Royals are proud of Frank and all of his accomplishments both on and off the ice and congratulate him and the DiChiara family.

The Jr. Royals have been selected to send eight players to the MJHL All Star weekend.   Players JT Hall, Vinny Monfredo, Mike Carwright, Chris Zaverdas, and Brendan Jones will be playing for the MJHL North All Star Team.

In the MJHL All Star Prospects game Jake Bichko, Matt Goldberg and Adam Goldstein have been slected and the team will be coached by our head coach Ken Hoey.

The 2012 MJHL All Star weekend is set to be held Sunday, January 29th at Iorio Arena in Walpole, MA. Last year’s event saw close to 50 NHL and NCAA college scouts in attendance.

Congratulations to the Royals players selected and good luck next weekend.

Jr. Royals Captain Michael Cartwright  has been named defensive player of the week by the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League.

Michael is a second year Jr. Royals player who continues the Cartwright's wearing the "C" from his brother Greg who was the Royals Captain last year.  
In 12 games this year Michael has scored 6 goals and has 7 assists including and overtime goal vs the Metro Moose in the Ronald McDonald House Cup semi-final.

Long Island Jr Royals 2010-11 Asst Captain Frank DiChiara has had a great start with the St Louis Bandits in the North American Hockey League.  The Bandits who play in the Mid West Division of the NAHL are off to a 8-1-1 start leading their division and league in wins.

In the first 10 games of the season Frank has an impressive 6 goals and 4 assists with an overall +9 rating and is tied for the most goals scored on his team.

The #8 jersey worn last year by Frank DiChara who went on to be the MJHL Leading Scorer and voted the League MVP has returned to show it powers.  

Returning Jr. Royals player JT Hall  switched from his last year #7 to the #8 jersey and scored 5 goals in the season opener vs. the Boston Bulldogs.   Hall also had an assist on the day finishing the game with 6 points.   JT was voted by the team as an Assistant Capt. for this season.  Along with the 5 goals scored by Hall was 2 goals by Nick Drixis one by Zaverdas and one by Goldberg.   Final score was Royals 9 - Boston Bulldogs 3

Game #2 of the opening weekend had the Royals playing the host team Scranton Knights.   Andrew Green opened the scoring  followed by Matt Goldberg with two power play goals and Vinny Monfredo and Michael Cartwright with one each.   Corey Cairo got the win stopping all 20 shots to earn the teams first shutout of the year.

Game #3 of the weekend put the Jr Royals vs the Cranston Reds.  Jake Bichko opened the scoring in the first and got another in the second for a two goal day.  Assistant Capt. Vincent Monfredo also got two goals and three assists.   Cartwright, Hall and Zaverdas got one goal each for a final score of Royals 7 - Cranston 3.   Marchetti got the win stopping 34 of 37 shots.

Hall  finished the three game weekend with a total of 6 goals and 5 assists for a total of 11 points.

Robert O'Gara has been drafted by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round with the 151st pick of the NHL draft. O'Gara who has committed to Yale University made his final choice from between Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. O'Gara is a 6'3" 185lb. strong two-way defenseman with good hands and a good stick.

Long Island Royals Frank Dichiara has been tendered to play for the St. Louis Bandits in the North American Hockey League. Dichiara who lead the MET league in scoring and was the League MVP has signed with the Saint Louis Bandits for the 2011-2012 season. Coach Browns' bandits have won NAHL championship 3 out the last 4 years (07,08 and 09), the hope is that the signing of Dichiara along with some key draft picks can help bring them back this coming season to the championship game. Dichiara has high expectations for his future and when asked about going to the Bandits was quoted as saying, "There is a natural growth in hockey that you have to follow. Each step you take leads to another and the opportunity to play for Coach Brown and one of if not the best organizations in the NAHL is going to help me reach my goal." Dichiara who will graduate this year from High School has a 4.0 GPA and is in the top 10% of his class this Jr Royals players has a bright future and we hope that the path he is on leads to continued success.