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Bandits Premier Ranked 6th in the Nation After Epic Start to the 2018-19 Season

By Bandits Staff , 10/10/18, 2:00PM EDT

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The squad is 6-0 following last weekends 4-0 showing at the USPHL showcase

The Boston Bandits Premier Squad is off to one of their best starts in franchise history - they are 6-0, ranked 6th in the nation (out of 141 Tier 3 Junior Hockey teams), and sit atop the USPHL New England Division.  At last weekend’s Columbus Day Showcase, hosted by the Northern Cyclones, the Bandits went 4-0, defeating the Philadelphia Hockey Club 5-2, the New York Aviators 4-2, the Jersey Shore Whalers 2-1 and the Jersey Hitmen 4-1.  The Bandits look to continue their unbeaten streak at home today, Wednesday, October 10th at 2:30pm, as they take on the Springfield Pics. 

The depth of the Bandits line-up was made evident last weekend with points coming from 19 different skaters.  Several returning players, bolstered by the influx of new talent has created an atmosphere for success.  Veterans Hunter Fortin ’98, Clayton Dawe ’99 and Justin Lebouef ‘99, along with new-comer Keagan O’Donaghue ’99, lead a powerhouse offensive line-up. Evan Cronkhite ’99 heads up a solid defensive corps and goalies Raphael Provencher ’99, (with four wins and a .944 save percentage), and Aaron Mercer ’01 have both been stellar between the pipes.

The Bandits Premier Club has had a long history of success. In 2015-16, the team captured a League Regular Season Title and moved an astounding 13 players on to NCAA Hockey programs. Led by University of Maine commit, Eduard Tralmaks, the Bandits attracted the attention of scouts from all over the globe. Tralmaks has enjoyed great success at UMaine and was invited to participate in the Ottawa Senators training camp in the summer of 2018.

The 2017-18 season saw the Bandits finish 5th in the tough Premier North Division with a record of 26-15-3.  In his second season with the Bandits, Coach Jay Punsky, along with Associate Head Coach Scott Drevitch, has put together a team that is predicted to go deep into the playoffs.  When asked about the 2018-19 season thus far, Coach Punsky commented, “It's early in the season, and there is a long way to go, but so far the boys seem committed to making every day matter. They're focusing on the right things and they take pride in their practice habits. Provided their approach remains consistent then we will be a very difficult team to play against.”

The Bandits program remains committed to developing players on and off the ice and providing maximum exposure to NCAA Division 1 programs.  For more information on the Boston Bandits contact Jay Punsky: jpunsky@bostonbandits.com