A day after Matt Lorito ’15 signed an amateur tryout agreement to play hockey with the Albany Devils, teammates Matt Harlow ’15 and Massimo Lamacchia ’15 signed ATOs to play for the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals and Greenville Road Warriors, respectively. The Jackals are the minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, while the Road Warriors are the minor league affiliate of the New York Rangers.
“It felt good,” Harlow said. “It’s a huge opportunity for me. It’ll be good for me to get a couple pro games under my belt and keep playing hockey. Our season at Brown ended earlier than expected, so it’s good for me to just keep the season going.”
The attention was a relative surprise to Harlow, who has served as a third or fourth liner for the majority of the year.
“I wasn’t talking to anyone during the season,” Harlow said. “The Jackals coach just called me up and told me he needed me as soon as I could get there. So I just packed my bags and left Thursday for the rink.”
Harlow had three goals and three assists in his final season at Brown, ending his college career with 36 points. The forward had a peak year as a sophomore, registering double-digit points for the only time in his career and playing a crucial role on a team that made it to the ECAC championship game.
“Obviously, playing at Brown had a huge impact on me,” Harlow said. “The ECAC’s probably the best league in the country — there’s no nights off when you play in that schedule.”
Harlow has “been a great player for us over the years,” said Head Coach Brendan Whittet ’94. “He’s picked up a lot of minutes over his time here. He’s probably up there in terms of games played. He plays the game very well, and he reads the ice better than most players I’ve coached.”
Harlow played in 127 games for the Bears, more than any current senior on the team. He was a consistent contributor to the scoresheet, with his senior tally of six points being the least he has ever registered in a season. But Harlow was never a prolific scorer for Bruno, so his role on the Jackals will have to play out in time.
“He’ll probably have to define his role,” Whittet said. “Most players aren’t cast into roles, but I’d expect (Harlow) to pick up a couple points and be on the scoresheet often because of his smarts on the ice.”
“The Brown coaching staff helped me get to where I am today,” Harlow said. “I’m really grateful for that.”
Lamacchia was the third of Brown’s senior class to sign with an NHL team’s minor league affiliate. He was one of four players on the 2011-12 team to play in all 32 games and was one of only two first-years who played 30 games that year. (Harlow was the other.)
Lamacchia had a similar role to Harlow: After fluctuating across lines one to four, the senior settled in at center alongside Ryan Jacobson ’15 and Harlow on the Bears’ fourth line for this year’s season-ending stretch.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to experience professional hockey and to see what it’s like at the next level,” Lamacchia said. “Greenville is a great team and organization, and I’m grateful for the chance.”
Lamacchia was also a role player on the 2012-13 team, playing 28 games and recording nine points. The senior was remarkably consistent over his tenure with the Bears, registering nine, 10, 11 and 12 points in his four years with Brown. One of his career highlight moments was a two-goal effort against Boston College, one of the top teams in the country at that time.
“My time at Brown was awesome and it definitely helped me become the person and player I am today,” Lamacchia said. “My coaches and teammates were great at helping me along the way.”
