Men's Ice Hockey Seniors Celebrate Final Skate After Cancelled Season

WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester State University men's ice hockey team celebrated its graduating senior class last month as the team held its final skate after a cancelled 2020-21 season.

Seniors Jake Karelas, Ryan James, Erik Pritchard, Kyle Hayter, Matthew Manning, and Tim Drevitch all pulled the Lancer sweater over their heads for the final time at the celebration.

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#4 Jake Karelas - Defense - Melrose, Mass.

Jake Karelas played in 69 career games on the Lancer blue line, compiling nine goals and 12 assists for 21 career points. Karelas was a three-time MASCAC All-Academic Team honoree. His strongest season offensively came as a rookie in 2017-18, when he netted five goals, including his first collegiate goal against Stonehill on December 12, 2017.

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#17 Ryan James - Forward - Katy, Texas

Ryan James played in 65 games in a Worcester State uniform, netting 11 goals and five assists for 16 points. He was named to the MASCAC All-Academic Team six times, and was an inductee into student-athlete honor society Chi Alpha Sigma. In his first year, he earned MASCAC Rookie of the Week honors after scoring a goal in Worcester State's first ever game at the Worcester Ice Center, a 3-1 win over Johnson & Wales.

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#26 Erik Pritchard - Forward - Cave Creek, Ariz.

Injuries shortened Erik Pritchard's Worcester State career to just 41 games, but the Arizona native still compiled six goals and four assists for 10 points in his abbreviated stint on Chandler Street. A one-time MASCAC All-Academic Team selection, Pritchard netted two career game-winning goals, one each as a freshman and a sophomore.

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#16 Kyle Hayter - Forward - Helena, Mont.

Kyle Hayter skated in 68 career games in Lancer blue and gold, compiling five goals and nine assists for 14 points. A six-time MASCAC All-Academic selection and Chi Alpha Sigma inductee, Hayter's strongest season came as a sophomore, when he found the back of the net three times while also dishing out six assists.

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#9 Matthew Manning - Forward - Novi, Mich.

Matthew Manning has served as Worcester State's captain over the last two seasons, and finishes his career with 29 goals and 39 assists for 68 points over 77 games. Manning was a Chi Alpha Sigma honoree and six-time MASCAC All-Academic selection for Worcester State, and was voted to two MASCAC Sportsmanship Teams. Last month, he was a recipient of the Athletic Department's prestigious Margaret "Peg" Nugent Scholar-Athlete Award.

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#10 Tim Drevitch - Forward - Oxford, N.J.

In 72 career games, Tim Drevitch accumulated 25 goals and 20 assists for 45 points for the Lancers. A six-time MASCAC All-Academic Team selection and Chi Alpha Sigma inductee, Drevitch had a huge rookie season for the Lancers in 2017-18, racking up three MASCAC Rookie of the Week selections on 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 22 games. 

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The entire Worcester State Department of Athletics would like to thank the men's ice hockey program's Class of 2021 for its contributions to the University!

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