January 6, 2010
FORMER USA WORLD JUNIOR GOALIE JOINS MUSTANGS
LONDON, Ont. - Former Team USA world junior goalie Josh Unice (Holland, Ohio) will be joining the Western Mustangs in 2010.
Unice, 20, is a former Kitchener Rangers goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League.
"It's obviously nice to be able to set up on to another high quality team. I've played with a lot of high profile teams, so to have a chance to come to school and pursue my education and play for a team that is a powerhouse every year, it's a big opportunity. It shows that hard work pays off," Unice said.
While Unice said he knows there will be more focus on education at the university level, he is ready for the challenge.
The other difference from the OHL, Unice said, is in the cohesion of the team.
"In the locker room, it's a tighter knit group and everyone is more mature and there are not as many groups or cliques," said Unice. "And you look at the team and the way it's set up, everyone has a role and everyone knows what roles the guys have."
"Coach Clarke has done a good job of putting a championship contending team together and I am just happy to be a part of it."
After growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Unice was drafted in the third round, 86th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
"Any time you have the opportunity to add a goaltender of Josh's calibre and pedigree, it's good news," said Western Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer. "It's great for the future of our program."
A former member of the U.S. National U-18 and U-20 teams, Unice also advanced to the Memorial Cup final with the Kitchener Rangers in 2007-08, losing 4-1 to Spokane, before being traded to the Windsor Spitfires in 2008-09 and winning the Memorial Cup.
Goalie Anthony Grieco (Brampton, Ont.) suffered a lower-body injury in late November and is out indefinitely. Unice's addition could not come at a better time as he will join Keyvan Hunt (Coquitlam, B.C.) as they look to keep their 14-game regular season winning streak alive against Lakehead in games Jan. 8 and 9 at Thompson Arena at 7:30 p.m.
"It's unfortunate for Anthony to have this set back, he's had such a great season," Singer said.
Unice said he's excited about the opportunity to be a part of a great rivalry with Lakehead in just his first week with the team.
"It would be a great honour to begin playing, only being here a week, against a high-profile big-time rival in Lakehead," he said. "Obviously, I want to play and I want to be back on the ice."
Unice, who is 6'0 and enrolled in social sciences, works with Western goalie coach Bill Dark, and the duo began working together while Unice played in Windsor.
"Bill is my goalie coach and he is a good friend of mine, I work his goalie camps," Unice said. "He's helped me a lot and I've only been working with him a half a season, but we're very close and he told me there might be an opportunity here.
"I had other schools looking for me to come and play there, but when you get a chance to come to Western and play at a great school in a great city, it's an easy decision."
Already enrolled at The University of Western Ontario in the fall, Unice aspires to attend law school. He suffered a knee injury after winning the Memorial Cup before coming to Western.
He will wear No. 1 for the Mustangs and began practicing with them earlier this week.
HISTORY
2004-05: Unice played for the Victory Honda (Michigan). In 41 games, Unice had a record of 21-20-0 with a goals against average of 2.70 and a save percentage of .920.
2005-06: Playing in 35 games with the U-17 squad, Unice ended the year with a record of 18-13-3-2. His goals against average was 2.88 and his save percentage was .907. He also had two shutouts. He was a member of the silver medal winning Team USA squad at the 2006 World U-17 Championships.
2006-07: Splitting playing time with Brad Phillips, Unice appeared in 26 games, finishing with a record of 16-7-1-1. His goals against average was 2.96 and his save percentage was .884. He also posted a shutout three times during the season. Unice appeared in 13 games against NCAA opponents, finishing with a record of 5-6-1. His goals against average was 3.85 and his save percentage was .852. Heading into the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, NHL Central Scouting had Unice ranked as the 15th best goalie.
DRAFTED 3rd round (86th overall), 2007 by Chicago
2007-08: Unice withdrew his college commitment to join Kitchener of the OHL beginning the 2007-08 season. Fresh off his campaign with the U.S. National Team Development Program, Unice withdrew his college commitment to Bowling Green University for the 2007-08 season and, instead, signed with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. Unice put up impressive numbers with Kitchener, as he won over 70 percent of his regular season games and posted a 2.45 GAA. Unice carried this momentum over to the playoffs, where he helped the team win the J. Ross Robertson Cup (OHL Championship) and a berth in the Memorial Cup finals.
2008-09: Traded to the Windsor Spitfires halfway through the season, but saw only light duty for either team.
On. Jan. 6, 2009 - Windsor trades overage forward Jacob Lalonde, goalie Brandon Maxwell, two second-round picks and a third-round pick to Kitchener for overage defenceman Ben Shutron, centre Scott Timmins and goalie Josh Unice.
Source: Western Mustangs
Unice, 20, is a former Kitchener Rangers goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League.
"It's obviously nice to be able to set up on to another high quality team. I've played with a lot of high profile teams, so to have a chance to come to school and pursue my education and play for a team that is a powerhouse every year, it's a big opportunity. It shows that hard work pays off," Unice said.
While Unice said he knows there will be more focus on education at the university level, he is ready for the challenge.
The other difference from the OHL, Unice said, is in the cohesion of the team.
"In the locker room, it's a tighter knit group and everyone is more mature and there are not as many groups or cliques," said Unice. "And you look at the team and the way it's set up, everyone has a role and everyone knows what roles the guys have."
"Coach Clarke has done a good job of putting a championship contending team together and I am just happy to be a part of it."
After growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Unice was drafted in the third round, 86th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
"Any time you have the opportunity to add a goaltender of Josh's calibre and pedigree, it's good news," said Western Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer. "It's great for the future of our program."
A former member of the U.S. National U-18 and U-20 teams, Unice also advanced to the Memorial Cup final with the Kitchener Rangers in 2007-08, losing 4-1 to Spokane, before being traded to the Windsor Spitfires in 2008-09 and winning the Memorial Cup.
Goalie Anthony Grieco (Brampton, Ont.) suffered a lower-body injury in late November and is out indefinitely. Unice's addition could not come at a better time as he will join Keyvan Hunt (Coquitlam, B.C.) as they look to keep their 14-game regular season winning streak alive against Lakehead in games Jan. 8 and 9 at Thompson Arena at 7:30 p.m.
"It's unfortunate for Anthony to have this set back, he's had such a great season," Singer said.
Unice said he's excited about the opportunity to be a part of a great rivalry with Lakehead in just his first week with the team.
"It would be a great honour to begin playing, only being here a week, against a high-profile big-time rival in Lakehead," he said. "Obviously, I want to play and I want to be back on the ice."
Unice, who is 6'0 and enrolled in social sciences, works with Western goalie coach Bill Dark, and the duo began working together while Unice played in Windsor.
"Bill is my goalie coach and he is a good friend of mine, I work his goalie camps," Unice said. "He's helped me a lot and I've only been working with him a half a season, but we're very close and he told me there might be an opportunity here.
"I had other schools looking for me to come and play there, but when you get a chance to come to Western and play at a great school in a great city, it's an easy decision."
Already enrolled at The University of Western Ontario in the fall, Unice aspires to attend law school. He suffered a knee injury after winning the Memorial Cup before coming to Western.
He will wear No. 1 for the Mustangs and began practicing with them earlier this week.
HISTORY
2004-05: Unice played for the Victory Honda (Michigan). In 41 games, Unice had a record of 21-20-0 with a goals against average of 2.70 and a save percentage of .920.
2005-06: Playing in 35 games with the U-17 squad, Unice ended the year with a record of 18-13-3-2. His goals against average was 2.88 and his save percentage was .907. He also had two shutouts. He was a member of the silver medal winning Team USA squad at the 2006 World U-17 Championships.
2006-07: Splitting playing time with Brad Phillips, Unice appeared in 26 games, finishing with a record of 16-7-1-1. His goals against average was 2.96 and his save percentage was .884. He also posted a shutout three times during the season. Unice appeared in 13 games against NCAA opponents, finishing with a record of 5-6-1. His goals against average was 3.85 and his save percentage was .852. Heading into the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, NHL Central Scouting had Unice ranked as the 15th best goalie.
DRAFTED 3rd round (86th overall), 2007 by Chicago
2007-08: Unice withdrew his college commitment to join Kitchener of the OHL beginning the 2007-08 season. Fresh off his campaign with the U.S. National Team Development Program, Unice withdrew his college commitment to Bowling Green University for the 2007-08 season and, instead, signed with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. Unice put up impressive numbers with Kitchener, as he won over 70 percent of his regular season games and posted a 2.45 GAA. Unice carried this momentum over to the playoffs, where he helped the team win the J. Ross Robertson Cup (OHL Championship) and a berth in the Memorial Cup finals.
2008-09: Traded to the Windsor Spitfires halfway through the season, but saw only light duty for either team.
On. Jan. 6, 2009 - Windsor trades overage forward Jacob Lalonde, goalie Brandon Maxwell, two second-round picks and a third-round pick to Kitchener for overage defenceman Ben Shutron, centre Scott Timmins and goalie Josh Unice.
Source: Western Mustangs
