UConn men’s hockey lands three commitments

UConn men’s hockey stayed hot on the recruiting trail, landing three more commitments after pulling in a pair last week. ‘02 defenseman Thomas Messineo, ‘04 forward Joey Muldowney and ‘05 Charlie Lewinski all pledged to the Huskies. Messineo will come to Storrs next season while Muldowney and Lewinski are still a few years away.

Messineo is a native of Westwood, Massachusetts and currently plays in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs, where he has one goal and six assists in 11 games this season. Listed at 5-foot-11, 198 pounds with a left-handed shot, Messineo is an “explosive skater” with “electric feet” and “huge upside”, according to a source. He’s the first defenseman confirmed to be part of UConn’s 2022 recruiting class.

Meanwhile, Muldowney grew up on the banks of Lake Erie in Lake View, New York and plays at the Nichols School in Buffalo. He has 22 goals and 13 assists in 19 games there and is regarded as a fast, skilled player with a left-handed shot. Muldowney will need to add some weight before coming to UConn as he has just 154 pounds on his 5-foot-11 frame.

As for Lewinski, he’s a 6-foot-2, 190 pound power forward with a left-handed shot out of Novi, Michigan. In 21 games with Compuware U16 AAA, he has six goals and 17 assists. Lewinski has an impressive skill set and will draw comparisons to current Husky forward Nick Capone with his size and strength.

Lewinski is a big pickup for UConn considering it’s difficult to get top Michigan prospects to leave the state. With seven Division I programs — Ferriss State, Lake Superior State, Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and Western Michigan — most players in Michigan decide to stay home. Lewinski had interest from Big Ten and CCHA schools but ultimately chose the Huskies.

Last week, UConn earned commitments from forwards Jake Black and Huston Karpman, who will both join the team for next season.