WESTFIELD, Mass. -- For the second straight year, Myles Abbate of Plymouth State has been named the MASCAC Men’s Ice Hockey Player of the Year and headlines the 2022-23 All-Conference team as voted on by the seven coaches from around the conference. 

 

Winning his third MASCAC major award, Abbate adds his second straight Player of the Year accolade along with his Rookie of the Year honor from 2020. The senior from Norwell, Mass. led the Panthers to their sixth straight MASCAC Men’s Ice Hockey Regular Season title with a perfect 18-0 record in league play. This season, he tallied 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points which were the top of the conference. He netted four power play goals, two game-winners and scored a hat trick once this season. In the win over Westfield State on February 2, he recorded his 100th career point and is currently tied for fifth most points in program history with 115. 

 

Earning the 2022-23 MASCAC Rookie of the Year honors is Zach Dill of Salem State. The freshman from South Lake Tahoe, Calif. found the back of the net 13 times while assisting on 17 others for 30 points. He had five power play goals, two game-winning goals and registered a hat trick once this season. His best game of the year came in the win over Framingham State where he netted three goals and assisted on another in the 5-3 victory.

 

Craig Russell of Plymouth State and Bob Deraney of Worcester State have both been named the 2022-23 BSN Sports Men’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. Russell led the Panthers to an undefeated season at 18-0 plus the top seed in the tournament while Deraney guided the Lancers to a 12-5-1 mark and second seed in the tourney in his second season at the helm.

 

Joining Abbate on the MASCAC All-Conference First Team are Hunter Fortin of Fitchburg State and Erik Larsson of Salem State at forward, Rider McCallum of Plymouth State and Jake Maynard of UMass Dartmouth on defense and Brendahn Brawley of Plymouth State in goal. 

 

Landing on the MASCAC Second Team with Dill is Carson Lanceleve of Plymouth State and Mikey Wilson of Worcester State at forward, Joshua Miller of Fitchburg State and Niks Krollis of Plymouth State on defense and Blake Carlson of Framingham State and Valtteri Valtonen of Westfield State in goal.