A 1990 graduate of Babson, Jamie Rice is currently in his eighth season as head coach of the men's ice hockey program. Rice has enjoyed great success in his first seven years back at his alma mater, leading the Beavers to a 110-71-13 record and a top-15 national ranking in all but two seasons. He was named ECAC East Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the prestigious Edward Jeremiah Award, given annually to the top coach in Division III ice hockey, in 2006, and in 2007 was named New England Coach of the Year after guiding Babson to its first ECAC East championship since 1992 and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1993. Rice then led Babson to the ECAC East Championship and the program's 14th bid to the NCAA Tourney in 2009, as well as two more trips to the conference championship game in 2010 and 2011.

Rice returned to Babson in 2004 after spending 14 years as an assistant coach at Colby College, Dartmouth College, Brown University, and Northeastern University. During his five-year tenure at Brown, he helped guide the Bears to a 1993 NCAA Tournament appearance and a 1995 Ivy League Championship.

A native of Newton, Massachusetts, Rice played four seasons at the forward position for Babson from 1986 to 1990, helping the Beavers amass a spectacular record of 81-31-10 during that stretch. He recorded 24 goals and 55 assists for 79 points in 116 career games, including a career-high 32 points in 1988-89.

Game Schedule and Rosters:

MJHL Prospects – NHL Rink – Puck Drop: 10:35AM
Team North – White Jerseys
Team South – Dark Jerseys

MJHL Prospects Rosters MJHL Prospects Media Guide

MJHL All Stars – NHL Rink – Puck Drop: 12:55PM

Team North – White Jerseys
Team South – Dark Jerseys

MJHL All Stars Rosters MJHL All Stars Media Guide

Tickets can be purchased at Iorio Arena Sunday morning. General Admission tickets will be $5. Anyone who is 12 years old and younger or is a registered USA Hockey Youth or Junior player will be free.

Saturday’s game saw a dominant five-on-five performance by the Generals on route to a convincing 6-3 win. Kris Helweg and Max Mahood staked the visitors to a 2-0 first period lead. Early in the second, the Panthers struck three times in less than three minutes to take the lead. DJ Dinnison scored twice on the power play while Eric Wallis added the third. The Generals quickly regained control of the game on goals by Steven Valva and Dana Arnold. With seven minutes left in the third period, Max Mahood notched his second on a breakaway to effectively end the Panthers’ comeback hopes. Kyle Johnston added an empty net goal late in the game for extra measure. The Generals out-shot the Panthers 42-24.

Having suffered their first regular season loss at Regency Sportsrink in over two calendar years, the Panthers came out Sunday in search of redemption. Although out-shot and out-played in the first period, the Panthers scored late short-handed as Christian Grim banged home a rebound off a two-on-one shot by Kyle Bushong to take a 1-0 lead into the locker room after 20 minutes. Ben Mariano scored his first of two to increase the home team’s lead to 2-0. The Generals’ Pavol Bolibruch got his first of two mid-way through the period to get the visitors on the board. Kris Helweg struck less than five minutes later to even the score at the end of two. The Panthers power play went to work scoring twice early in the third period on goals by Ben Mariano and DJ Dinnison. Pavol Bolibruch pulled the visitors within one with just under five minutes remaining. However, on the next shift, John Wendling tipped a Kyle Bushong shot to restore the two-goal cushion and give the Panthers a big win. Landon Trutt was outstanding in the Panthers’ net stopping 44 of 47 shots.

“First and foremost, it was a great weekend of hockey,” said Panthers’ Head Coach Andy Scott. “The Generals are a very good hockey team. One of their great strengths is that they have what I believe is the best puck-moving group of defensemen in the league. This was a big reason they out-scored us 8-3 in five-on-five play. With that type of dominance, we were a little fortunate to get the split. I think we owe those two points to our special teams which out-scored them 5-0 over the weekend and to a great goaltending performance by Landon on Sunday.”

“This was the most anticipated week on our calendar since the two games at our home rink against the Panthers in the fall,” said Generals Head Coach R.C. Lyke. “The teams were both pumped up for the games and the action was extremely fast-paced and physical. They were two great games played in the atmosphere of a packed house. I thought special teams played a huge part in the series, especially on Sunday. The Panthers scored two power play goals and 1 short-handed goal and got a great performance from their goaltender Landon Trutt. They are a team that capitalizes on your mistakes and make you pay on the scoreboard with their excellent special teams play. This was the first time all year in a series that our power play was shut-out. Their penalty killing unit deserves a lot of credit. Their special teams were better this weekend and definitely were the deciding factor in their Sunday victory. This was a great weekend of hockey between two teams that have a ton of respect for each other. I look forward to a potential rematch in the playoffs.”

Panthers defenseman Kyle Troup played his final (and one of his best) MJHL game on Sunday. Having enlisted in the United States Air Force, Kyle will be leaving for basic training in the near future. Kyle played 127 midget and junior games in the Panthers organization. The Panthers would like to wish him success in his military career.

The All Star teams will be comprised of 12 forwards, 8 defensemen and 2 goalies. A total of two forwards, one defenseman and one goalie have been named as Alternates and will be used for either team should someone not be able to attend. The Prospects will have 9 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goalies, as well as, two forwards, two defensemen and one goalie as alternates.

MJHL All Star Rosters can be seen HERE

MJHL Prospects Rosters can be see HERE

In doing so, he has passed his former teammate, Roman Andrejev, who was the captain of his country’s world junior team and is now playing professional hockey in Europe.  Bufis passed Romans 104 point mark on a road trip in late December against the Washington Jr. Nationals. Dan now has 109 (52 this season) points as a Renegade and is only 6 points away from having his highest scoring season yet.  His efforts have not gone unnoticed.  As the league’s leading scorer, Bufis, has again been selected to the MJHL All-Star game. 

Last weekend marked his first games in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League, when the Laconia Leafs called him up for their bouts against the WB/Scranton Knights.  In his first two games he notched 2 points playing on the team’s top unit. Coach Fay of the Leafs was very impressed with the Renegade captain, but after long deliberation Bufis decided to rejoin his club in New Jersey. 

“Dan is an extraordinary player and has been our leader since he first stepped on the ice here,” mentioned Coach Christopher Ceransky. “This kid had a lot of options as far as places to play this season, but he felt he had some unfinished business to take care of with our club.”

"Dan could've played on just about any Tier III Junior team he wanted, but there were a few factors that kept him here,” added Head Coach Cliff Graziano Jr. “For one, Tier III Jr. A teams are very expensive, but here with the Renegades we offered him to work in the rink with our youth program as well as our hockey schools to help offset the cost of our tuition which was the lowest in the MET League due to club sponsorship funds. The second factor, Dan has flourished here, as a hockey player and a person, better than anywhere else he has played much like a Matt Beattie (committed to Yale) or Roman Andrejev (Pro in Europe) have.  I'd like to personally and publicly congratulate Dan for his recent accomplishments.”

Renegades alumnus, Matt Beattie, was recently ranked amongst North American skaters on the NHL Central Scouting “Mid-Term” list for the upcoming 2012 NHL Draft. Last year’s MJHL Best Offensive Defenseman Award winner has committed to play NCAA D-I hockey at Yale University.

The Renegade family is abuzz with the news, although they don’t seem surprised. 

“When a talent like Beattie comes along it is only a matter of time before he rises to the top,” said Coach Ceransky. “When Matt first came to us we knew he was special.  Now we know how special.” 

“This couldn’t happen to a better kid, added Graziano Jr. “Matt is a great player, an amazing person, and an outstanding student.  I would wish Matt luck, but I don’t think he needs it.”

"Coach Graz and Coach Chris, thank you so much for everything.  I have improved more, and had more fun playing for you these past two years than I have for any other team.  I really enjoyed being a Renegade, and I can't thank you enough for everything.  I will definitely get my jerseys framed and I'll always remember these past two years," said Matt Beattie.
Lastly, Head Coach Cliff Graziano Jr. was contacted by the St. Louis Blues scouting department about Matt being looked at for a supplemental draft pick this year.

From all of us at the MJHL and New Jersey Renegades congratulations Matthew!

The Suffolk Juniors went undefeated over the course of the weekend going 2-0-1 with wins coming against the Empire Junior Hockey League’s NJ Hitmen 4-0 and the Mass Maple Leafs 4-2. Suffolk almost fell to the Hampton Roads Whalers trailing 4-1, but after three straight unanswered goals with the last coming off the stick of forward Brian Boser with just 25 seconds remaing, the Juniors were able to earn the tie.

Leading the way for Suffolk were forwards James Anderson with 3 goals and 1 assists and Nikita Sokolov with 1 goal and 3 assists.

The Portland Jr. Pirates also impressed at the event going 2-1-0. The Jr. Pirates earned wins against the Empire’s Potomac Patriots 3-2 and the Brewster Bulldogs 5-4. Taking on the South Shore Kings, Portland nearly came back from a late 6-4 deficit after forward Michael Chvojka buried his second goal of the game to make it 6-5 with just 2:16 left in regulation. The Jr. Pirates fired shot after shot at the South Shore net minder, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Portland’s Michael Chvojka and Nate Bergeron led all Jr. Pirates with 5 points each.

In other MJHL action, the NY Metro Fighting Moose and the NJ Rockets each went 1-1, while the Walpole Express went 1-2 and the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack going 0-1-1.

All MJHL teams are now back to their regular season schedules and battling for their final playoff push. The teams will break once more for the AJHL/MET All Star Weekend held at Walpole’s Iorio Arena January 28-29. Please check back for more information on the event.