The Penn State Nittany Lions mens’ hockey team has announced the addition of three players for the upcoming season.
Chris Funkey, Derian Hamilton, and Vince Pedrie will join the Lions in the 2015-2016 campaign. With the commitments, Penn State has gained two defensemen and a goalie.
Chris Funkey
G || 5-10 || 175 || March 16, 1994
Hometown: Orland Park, Illinois
Last Team: New Jersey Hitmen (USPHL)
Funkey was a three-year starter for the Hitmen and played in 31 games in the 2014-2015 season, maintaining a .947 save percentage.
About Funkey, head coach Guy Gadowsky said: “Chris is a fierce competitor and an athletic goaltender. In his three years, he led the Hitmen to two league championships, posting impressive numbers along the way. While serving as a captain last year, he proved himself to be not only a great teammate, but also as the premier goaltender in the USPHL.”
Derian Hamilton
D || 6-1 || 175 || June 6, 1994
Hometown: Port McNeill, British Columbia
Last Team: Comox Valley Glacier Kings (VIJHL)
Hamilton comes to Penn State after 173 games with the Glacier Kings. During his stay, he scored 37 goals, 132 assists and 169 points.
Gadowsky praised Hamilton: “Derian is a great skating defenseman. He is able to break pucks out on his own because of his skating ability. He is a smart player who moves the puck well and is able to create a lot of offense.”
Vince Pedrie
D || 6-0 || 185 || Jan. 17, 1994
Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota
Last Team: Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Pedrie totaled more than 200 games in four seasons and garnered 22 goals and 45 assists. He was traded several times before landing with the Tri-City Storm to finish the last 28 games of the season.
Gadowsky on Pedrie: “Vince is a good skating defenseman who likes to get up in the rush and add to offense. He has a good shot from the point. He comes to Penn State with a lot of experience having playing 203 USHL games. He should be able to step in from day one and help out the blueline.”
Rounding out the freshman class are Chase Berger (St. Louis, Mo.), Kevin Kerr (Bensalem, Pa.), Alec Marsh (Bridgewater, N.J.) and Matt Mendelson (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
Although the Nittany Lions lost Big Ten leading scorer Casey Bailey to the Toronto Maple Leafs in early 2015, they will return David Goodwin, who scored 15 goals in the 2014-2015 season, and veteran goaltender Matthew Skoff as they enter their fourth Division I season and attempt to avenge an early exit from the Big Ten Tournament.
Following a dismissal for breaking team rules, Scott Conway will not be returning to the Nittany Lions.
Penn State also released the schedule for the upcoming season, as seen below.
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Photo Credit: GoPSUSports.com
