Empire Players/Coach of the Month Selectees, December 2006

Coach: Pete Preteroti
Team: Buffalo Junior Stars
While Buffalo may not have a winning season, Coach Preteroti and his staff have made remarkable progress with the Junior Stars in the past 3 months. Back at the start of the season Buffalo was losing games by a wide margin and were clearly outplayed in the early games, but by December this situation changes where Buffalo games are not only being decided by one or two goals. Coach Preteroti has turned his team around thru hard work and instilled in them the attitude that they are as good as any team in the Empire. While Buffalo may not be a playoff contender this year, with this attitude and drive they will become a dominant Empire team in the next couple years.

Player: Ryan Walsh
Position: Forward
Team: Fitchburg NE Jr. Huskies
View Ryan's Profile/stats

Ryan has 20 goals and 18 assists
(38 points) at the end of December.

Player: Shane Talarico
Position: Goalie
Team: Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins
View Shane's Profile/stats

Won 3 of 3, with a .925 Save Pct and a 1.67 GAA (5 goals in 3 games).

Player: Tommy Monteiro
Position: Defensemen
Team: Junior Bruins
View Tom's Profile/stats

6 games (all wins), 2 assists
Monteiro, a 1989 defensemen and captain of the Junior Bruins squad has
helped lead his team to a perfect December with six victories. He is a tough nosed defensive defensemen who was great in his own zone and helped keep opponents goals per game average under two for the month. In those six games the Bruins played some of the league's top teams.