Long Island Royals Show Versatility in Heading to Nationals

March 24, 2011
By Tom Robinson
Special to USAHockey.com

The method does not matter for the Long Island Royals.

Greg Cartwright setting up goals for Frank DiChiara led the way to a Metropolitan League Mullen Division regular-season title. DiChiara-to-Cartwright became the favored way to produce goals with the Keegan Cup, awarded to the league’s playoff champion, on the line.

Defense carried the Royals into the championship game, which was won on an early offensive outburst. Long Island’s multiple weapons beat the Central Penn Panthers 2-0 in the semifinals and the Palm Beach Hawks 13-3 in the finals in a span of less than 24 hours.

“It just that we’re an all-around team,” Cartwright said. “It just depends on the type of team we play against. We have the skills to play defense, to play offense; whatever it takes to win a game.”

The Royals used a tight, defensive approach against Dowd Division champion Central Penn, which allowed the second-fewest goals in the 25-team league.

A more open style worked just fine against Palm Beach, which was second to Long Island in goals scored during the regular season.

Long Island killed off eight power plays in the semifinals, when Brendan Jones made 30 saves in his shutout.

Vasiley Zelepukin scored shorthanded 24 seconds into the second period and DiChiara added an unassisted goal later in the period.

“Every game is the same against them,” Long Island coach Ken Hoey said of Central Penn. The Royals also beat the Panthers 2-0 at USA Hockey Nationals last year.

Cartwright had a hat trick and the Royals had a 6-0 lead just 8:12 into the championship game.

“I told them not to let off,” Hoey said. “You don’t want to embarrass a team, but it’s a league championship, so you don’t want to let anybody back in the game.

“I just said, ‘Keep getting the puck deep. Make them go the length of the ice for their goals.’”

Cartwright finished with four goals and three assists while DiChiara had six assists.

“They were looking to double-team me all over the ice, which would leave Greg open,” DiChiara said. “I just moved the puck to Greg because I knew he can put it in the back of the net as well as anyone.”

The seven-point game completed a big Keegan Cup tournament for Cartwright. He was the league’s Player of the Week after putting up back-to-back, five-point games the previous weekend.

“Usually when they see me and Frank out, they try to target us,” Cartwright said. “I was getting open and Frank was seeing me.”

Cartwright finished the playoffs with seven goals and 15 assists in six games. That came after he put up 27 goals and a league-record 63 assists in 37 regular-season games.

“He’s one of the best players I’ve seen at controlling the puck in the other team’s zone,” Hoey said. “They just couldn’t get the puck off of him and it seemed Frankie was getting him the puck and everything was going in.”

DiChiara, a 17-year-old, set regular-season records with his goal scoring. He established Metropolitan records for goals (57) and points (102). He averaged three points over the 34-game schedule. He scored goals in the first five playoff games before turning strictly to assists in the final while finishing Keegan Cup play with six goals and 14 assists.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder’s regular season featured seven hat tricks. He had a nine-point effort (four goals, five assists) against the New York Saints in December and an incredible eight-point night (six goals, two assists) in a 9-8 loss to the Junior Titans Nov. 18 for the 13^th win in the Titans’ 20-0 start.

Cartwright centers the line with DiChiara on the left and Vinny Caliguiri on the right. The line produced the most goals in Metropolitan League history. DiChiara and Cartwright finished 1-2 in the scoring race and Caliguiri took fifth with 22 goals and 50 assists.

The Royals are part of the 18-team field at the USA Hockey Junior B Nationals, set for Friday through Tuesday at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Mass. They will be trying to give the program its second national title in four years. Long Island followed up its Keegan Cup title in 2008 by winning a national title.

ROYALS CAPTURE KEEGAN CUP

For the second time in four years the Jr Royals captured the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League Championship taking home the prized "Keegan Cup" .  

The Royals finished the season with a 31-6 season record winning their division and moved into the first round of playoffs vs. the New Jersey Rockets in a best of three game series.   The Royals finished the Rockets off in two games (5-2, 8-2)and moved into the second round.

The next best of three game series was vs Suffolk PAL.  The Royals once again finished off the series in just two games (8-4, 6-3) qualifying them for the Keegan Cup frozen four and a Nationals Tournament spot.

The first game of the Keegan Cup series was vs the Dowd Division Winner Central Penn Panthers who finished the regular season with a 32-2-3 record.   Royals goalie Berndan Jones stepped up to shutout the Panthers earning the Royals a win with a final score of 2-0.

The Keegan Cup Championship matched the Jr Royals vs the Palm Beach Hawks.  The Royals came out of the gate flying putting up three goals in the first 90 seconds the first by Greg Cartwright with just :31 seconds on the clock.   The Royals offensive machine never stopped putting up a total of 13 goals to win the cup.

KEEGAN CUP PHOTOS HERE

Seven members of the Jr. Royals 2010-2011 team were selected to represent the MET League North at the 2011 MJHL All Star Weekend.

Congratulations to:  Tyler Young, Sean Keating, Anthony Reagan, Frank DiChiara, Vincent Caligiuri, Nick Innella (not in photo),  and Greg Cartwright (not in photo).

Head Coach - Ken Hoey

Asst Coach -  Tony Colombo

Asst Coach -  Valeri Zelepukin

Asst Coach -  Boris Bykovski