A21 to play in elite prep league

Windsor’s A21 Academy has received approval to compete in the Prep School Hockey Federation in 2017-18 and will operate a U18 boys’ program.

“You see more and more these high-end kids go to prep academies to get more ice time,” A21 Academy director of hockey Robb Serviss said.

The team operates out of the WFCU Centre and Serviss said nine recruits are already in place for the team.

“We’re into the league and now we have to finish recruitment,” said Serviss, who’s already added recruits from the Czech Republic and Australia. “We’re putting together a prep team and I’m recruiting all over the world.”

Serviss has also added former OHLers Jeff Pawluk and Nikko Sablone, who played briefly for the Windsor Spitfires, to his coaching staff.

A21 Academy will compete in five PSHL Showcase events and the PSHL national championship, which will be played in Ottawa in March.

MANCINA HONOURED

Lakeshore’s Matthew Mancina, of the Mississauga Steelheads, has been named the Ontario Hockey League player of the week and Canadian Hockey League goaltender of the week.

The 20-year-old Mancina won both starts and posted a 1.50 goalsagainst average and .944 save percentage along with a shutout.

The Steelheads hold a 3-0 lead against the Peterborough Petes in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final and can advance to the OHL final with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday.

In his fourth season in the OHL, Mancina boasts a 7-1 record in the playoffs with a 2.12 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

NATIONAL PROGRAM

Windsor Spitfires draft prospect Dominick Fensore was one of 23 players named to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich., and will compete for the under-17 team in 2017-18.

The 5-foot-7, 146-pound defenceman was the Spitfires’ eighth-round pick in this month’s OHL Draft.

Fensore, 15, also has made a verbal NCAA commitment to Quinnipiac University for 2020-21.

However, Spitfires 11th-round pick Cade Webber wasn’t on the list of players for the under-17 team. It’s uncertain if the 6-foot-4, 175-pound defenceman will factor into Windsor’s plans.

Webber, 16, has made a verbal commitment to Boston University for 2020-21.