Yaniv Perets follows unique road to collegiate hockey

20-year-old made NCAA debut for Quinnipiac on Saturday

(Photo courtesy: Justin Wolford- Colgate Athletics)

It should come as little surprise that one of Yaniv Perets’ first words he ever uttered was hockey. After all, Perets’ life has largely revolved around the sport, and this from a young age.

“I was always around it,” said Perets. “My oldest brother (Adam) was playing hockey. I used to go watch him all the time. I would have the pacifier in my mouth and be playing street hockey.”

It would not be long before Perets found his way between the pipes, first recreationally on the street facing his Dollard-des-Ormeaux home, and later, across local ice hockey rinks.

The 20-year-old, who points to Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Price as his idol, played his bantam and midget level hockey for the Lac St. Louis Lions. Perets was a part of U-14 and U-15 championship teams, and captured the bronze medal at the Telus Cup in 2016.

(Photo courtesy: Rob Amyot- The Suburban)

“Playing for the Lions was great,” said Perets. “We always had great teams. It’s a winning culture over there. Every single season, you are expected to win. The staff is great and they pushed us, as players, to go to school, as well, in addition to hockey. You’re always working hard every day there, they have great resources and it’s just an all-around first-class organization.”

Stints with the Brockville Braves of the Canadian Central Hockey League and the Boston Junior Bruins of the National Collegiate Development Conference would follow for Perets, as he sought out ways to continually improve his game. His decision paid off, as he won the 2018–19 Dineen Cup with the Bruins as league champions and was named Goaltender of the Year in the process.

Perets would return back to Canada the following season, suiting up for the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He went 25–8–1 in his rookie season with the Vees, posting a 2.19 goals-against average and .918 save percentage, to go along with five shutouts. Perets posted even more impressive numbers in the playoffs, going 4–0–1 with a 1.96 GAA and .921 save percentage as Penticton knocked off West Kelowna in five games during round one of the BCHL playoffs before the season was canceled due to COVID-19.

(Photo courtesy: Tami Quan/Tami Quan Photography)

“Penticton always has a good team,” said Perets. “The staff there is first class. They always push their players so hard and they never make you feel comfortable. They want you to become better and better and that’s why the organization has been so good for so long. We had a great time that year, when we got cut short for COVID. I really thought we would have won the whole thing.”

Perets’ play between the pipes garnered the attention of scouts and recruiters at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Perets officially committed to the Bobcats in October 2018 while still playing in Boston and was slated to start his NCAA Division I career at the start of the 2020–2021 season. However, Perets decided to remain with Penticton for a second season in an effort to get some more playing time under his belt and have the opportunity to participate in the Centennial Cup, a 5-team Junior A national finals tournament Penticton was set to host this May.

Perets spent this past summer working with his goaltending coach of three years, Marco Marciano, over Zoom. Perets and Marciano, who occupies the same function with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League, focused on three main elements necessary to make stops: being set, square, and tracking the puck well.

“The number one thing I try to do and learn from my time in Penticton was trying to eliminate the goals that go through your body,” said Perets. “The idea was to play tight and be square. A lot of the goals that were going in on me was because I was missing some of those aspects. If a guy is going to score on me, make sure it’s with a perfect shot and not something cheap through my body.”

Perets didn’t allow many goals upon his return to Penticton, surrendering just 17 goals in 10 games. Perets’ stellar play between the pipes was the catalyst behind the Vees winning the Okanagan Cup in November, an exhibition tournament pitting the four B.C. Valley teams against each other.

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The regular season, however, never truly got off the ground as expected. With the season halted and the Centennial Cup eventually cancelled, Perets decided it was time to head to Connecticut.

“I thought it would be a great idea for me to come in, get used to the pace and have a chance to play games, practice with the guys and start my schooling,” said Perets, who has yet to declare a major, but has an interest in business.

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Perets officially joined the team in mid-January. After three straight negative COVID tests, the goaltender was finally able to join the Bobcats on the ice.

“The transition was pretty easy,” said Perets. “The ice time was there; the teammates and staff were awesome. Everything went by super smoothly and I have zero complaints. I’m just happy to be here and everyone has been super nice.”

With the Bobcats sitting atop the ECAC conference thanks to a 13–5–4 record and senior goaltender Keith Petruzzelli shining between the pipes, Perets did not expect to see much action. To boot, the #12 nationally-ranked hockey program boasts two other goaltenders on their roster.

Nevertheless, Perets began to make an impression on the coaching staff. He dressed as the back-up goaltender vs. St. Lawrence earlier this month and did the same on Saturday in a game versus the Colgate Raiders. Only this time, Perets would not simply serve as a spectator.

“After the second period, we were winning 5–0 and, in the room, I couldn’t stop smiling,” remembered Perets. “From watching past games, I saw how the head coach would put another goalie in when the team is up big. When we scored a few more goals early in the third, I thought there was a good chance I’d be going in. For sure, there were some nerves, but all the guys were excited. I remember making my first save and everyone was tapping over the boards. After all the hard work you put in, you finally get there. I just told myself to enjoy the opportunity and go with it. I didn’t overthink anything. You just use your past experience and it served me well. I had fun with it.”

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Perets finished the game with five saves on five shots across 14:49 of action.

Perets understands he will have to watch from the bench more often than not this season, but hopes to see some more action soon. In the interim, Perets says he will continue to push himself in practice to ensure he’s ready if and when his name is called.

“I’m just going to come in every single day and work hard,” said Perets. “I want to show the staff that I can be the guy for them. I want to get myself adjusted for next year. I might play a game as well and get into some action and be ready for that whenever it comes.”

All the hard work being put in by Perets is done with the goal of signing an NHL contract by the time his NCAA collegiate career is said and done.

“Hockey is what I know best and it’s what I love,” said Perets. “My goal is to do it for as long as I can. If you do something you love, you never work a day in your life. It would be a dream come true to play in the NHL one day. I believe that if you put the work in every day, the goal is attainable.”