Lucarelli commits to Long Island University hockey team

Anthony Lucarelli

Chatham’s Anthony Lucarelli’s journey playing junior hockey on Canada’s west coast has paid off, as he has earned an opportunity to continue his hockey career playing NCAA Division I hockey on the east coast.

Lucarelli, who turned 20 last month, announced on social media earlier this week that he will play hockey starting in the fall of 2024 at Long Island University.

Lucarelli has had a long and winding road in his junior hockey career, as he is now in his third year playing for the Powell River Kings in the British Columbia Hockey League. He was their MVP last season with a team-high 21 goals and 43 points in 50 games.

So far this season, Lucarelli has 14 points in 15 games and is the River Kings captain.

After not being drafted in the OHL draft as a minor midget player with the Chatham-Kent Cyclones in 2018, Lucarelli had a strong U18 campaign with Elgin-Middlesex, and in 2019 he was selected by the OHL’s London Knights 39th overall in the OHL’s U18 Draft.

Lucarelli was poised to play for his hometown Chatham Maroons starting in the 2020-2021 season, but the season was scraped due to the global pandemic.

Long Island University is a new hockey program. The Sharks started play in the 2020-2021 season.