USA Hockey: Soaring Eagles

The Baltimore-based Tri-City Eagles U16 AA team has proven that it is capable of competing against some of the top teams in the country. Part of this is due to goaltender Paolo Zanello, who consistently keeps his team in games. McKeen's was recently on hand to watch the Eagles play and takes a look at Zanello, as well as some other notable players.

Paolo Zanello Profile

During a trip to Sweden in August, Paolo Zanello led the Eagles to victory over a local team called Pantern, stopping 36 of 37 shots in the process. Shortly thereafter, in September, Zanello took the MVP award at the Advanced Tournament Preseason Steel City Classic in Pittsburgh. However, his success did not end there.

In October, the Eagles participated in the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association's (WAHA's) North American Showcase, which included several teams from the Wisconsin High School Elite League. For example, Milwaukee (ranked #1 in the country at the U16 AA level) and Stevens Point (ranked #10) were two of the eight participants.

Fortunately, the Eagles were not in the same bracket as these two powerhouses but the competition was stiff, nonetheless. Having to face off against two top-60 teams (#27 Madison and #57 Tomah) was not an easy task. Despite losing to both of these teams, Zanello put up impressive numbers during his tour of duty.

Overall, Zanello came away with a 2.33 GAA and a save percentage of .926 for the tournament. He was ranked third (out of 13 goaltenders) based on save percentage and only trailed Aaron Pavelski (Stevens Point) and Austin Schmid (Madison). Aaron Pavelski is the younger brother of San Jose Sharks player Joe Pavelski so that is not bad company to be in. In 19 games this season, Zanello has a record of 9-8-1, a 2.66 GAA (two shutouts) and a save percentage of .903.

Scouting Notes

Paolo Zanello (2009), G, Tri-City Eagles U16 AA

Athletic, butterfly goalie with great size (6-2, 180) .. communicates well with his teammates and lets them know where to be on the ice .. his low stance and long legs successfully take away the bottom of the net, while his solid frame and effective glove hand balance him out up high .. swift and smooth post-to-post skater, which allows him to maintain proper positioning at all times and also defend against wrap-around shots .. always stays square to the puck .. in fact, he likes to creep from side to side as the puck moves around the perimeter .. as a result, there is no wasted movement and he rarely overcommits .. does a quality job of smothering shots and sending rebounds off to the side however, he could be stronger with the glove .. for example, instead of catching the puck, he will sometimes give up rebounds in front of the net .. very comfortable coming out of his crease to play the puck and does not take any unnecessary risks .. overall, a fundamentally sound goalie who plays it cool in pressure situations.

Jason Linkous (2009), D, Tri-City Eagles U16 AA

(21-1-2-3) .. Speedy and mobile offensive defenseman who can rush the ice at will .. possesses nifty puckhandling skills, which allows him to create time and space with the rubber, as well as go 1-on-1 with defenders .. very elusive and difficult to pin down along the boards .. boasts an accurate slapshot, which he likes to keep low, making it an effective weapon on the PP .. handles matters in his own end as well .. despite his small frame (5-11, 150), he loves to throw his weight around .. can pokecheck when necessary but prefers to separate opponents from the puck and grind it out along the boards .. also a presence on the PK, as he will protect the front of the net and clear a lane for the goalie, even against bigger guys .. overall, a solid two-way skater who plays bigger than his size.

Nathanael Rojas (2009), F, Tri-City Eagles U16 AA

(25-6-18-24) .. Strong skater with impressive cutting skills .. also solid on the puck, as he shows the ability to take the rubber into traffic and come out the other side with it .. however, he excels at attacking the gaps, particularly the high slot area where he likes to utilize his quick wristshot .. a physical and effective backchecker who is not afraid to battle in the trenches .. can be called upon to win faceoffs as well .. as a result, he is a regular contributor on the PP and PK