Minnesota Duluth landed a verbal commitment this week from 20-year-old goaltender Nick Deery of La Crosse, Wis. and the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Deery is in his second season with the Pistons. After posting a 2.70 goals against average and .912 save percentage in 14 games last season, his numbers have dipped this year to 2.97 and .896 through 14 games. He spent the 2012-13 season with the Odessa Jackalopes of the NAHL and finished with a 5.37 GAA and .868 save percentage in 26 appearances.
Pending any early departures at goaltender, Deery will be the Bulldogs third goaltender behind Matt McNeely, currently a junior, and Kasimir Kaskisuo, who is only a freshman. Current third-string goaltender, senior Alex Fons, is set to graduate after this season.
The Bulldogs also have a verbal commitment from goaltender Hunter Miska of Stacy, Minn. and the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. The former U.S. National Team Development Program goaltender turns 20 in July and is eligible to play one more season at the junior level, allowing UMD to bring him in after McNeely graduates in 2016-17, or next season if need be. Miska has a 2.13 GAA and .923 save percentage through 14 games this season in the BCHL.
According to a release issued Friday by the Pistons, Deery turned down an opportunity to play at Mercyhurst this season because the school lacked the engineering program he was looking for.