As aapears in Foster's Daily Democrat Monday July 10,1995
 
Team adds power on defense
By Barry Scanlon
Democrat Staff Writer
 
  Durham- Ending a long and successfull recruiting year, the University
of New Hampshire men's hockey program has landed one of the top defense
in the United States Hockey League.
     Ryan Bencurik,18,verbally committed friday to UNH and the 6-1
195-pound native of Darien,Ill., is expected to make an immediate impact.
     "I'm real excited to come to New Hampshire," he said sunday night
from his home."It was a (offer) I couldn't afford to turn down, to come
to UNH.  It met all the requirements I was looking for."
     UNH's recruiting for the 1995-96 season was complete when defensemen
Bryan Muir, who would be a senior, stunned the coaching staff a copule of
weeks ago with his decision to leave school and play for the canadian
national team.
     The UNH coaches were thrilled to land Bencurik, who helped Des
Moines to both the USHL championship and national Junior A title.
     "We lost a good player in Bryan Muir," Wildact head coach Dick
Umile said. "(Bencurik's) a big defensemen who I've heard a lot of good
things about."
     In 48 regular season games, Bencurik scored 11 goals and 36
points.  Fourteen Des Moines players are headed to Division I programs,
but Becurik had decided to return to his junior team when UNH's offer
materialized.
    Bencurik had recieved scholorship offers during the season from
Illinois-Chicago and Alaska-Fairbanks, but turned them down.
    "I wanted to do better," he said. "I thought there were a lot of
better programs out there."
    Bencurik came away impressed during a recent visit  to UNH's
campus.  Durring his visit he donned a hard hat and was given a tour of
the new arena being built behind Snively Arena.
    Bencurik said he's a stranger to skating on Olympic ice surfaces,
which the arena will feature, but no stranger to playing in front of
crowds of 6,000, which the arena will hold for hockey games.  He said he
routinely played before crowds of 6,000 or more two seasons ago when he
skated for Omaha of the USHL.
    "He's a big,strong,mobile defensemen with good offensive ability,"
said Brian McCloskey, UNH's assistant coach and chief recruiter.
"Physically he's ready to play now."
     UNH's defense will be young and inexperienced next season.  Only
senior Todd Hall and junior Tim Murray are battle-tested, although
sophomore Erik Johnson gained experoence last season.
     But the addition of Bencurik, according to McCloskey, gives UNH a
promising future on the blue line.
     The freshman class consists of forwards Jason Krog,Derek Bekar,
Ryan Harrisand Chad Onufrechuck; Steve O'Brien, Christian Bragnalo and
Bencurik at defense; and goaltender Brad Erbsland.
     Onfrechuck, a native of Calgary, Alberta, was also a late addition.
He was a teammate of Krog's on the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British
Columbia Junior Hockey League. Counting the playoffs, Onfrechuck scored
35 goals and 116 points in 88 games.
 
 
Message posted by Troy Taylor
GO BLUE!!!!