Driveway Battles with Bro Prepped Maniscalco for NTDP

USA Hockey National Team Development Program

Driveway Battles with Bro Prepped Maniscalco for NTDP

By Becky Olsen, 03/09/16, 8:00AM EST

Pennsylvania Native has Five Goals and 18 Points this Season

Photo by Rena Laverty

Growing up in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, Josh Maniscalco had a special recipe for developing his toughness as a youngster: street hockey with his older brother John.

“We were very competitive,” said Josh, now a defenseman on the U.S. National Under-17 Team. “There were definitely some injuries playing street hockey in the driveway.”

Josh remembers one incident when he accidentally hit John in the face with his stick.

“He got mad at me, and I went to [my mom] for safety,” Josh recalled. “She was like, ‘That’s not my fault; you need to deal with this.’”

Though their mom occasionally had to “take charge,” Josh said the brothers usually settled their differences one-on-one on the driveway.

“It definitely helped me with the competitive aspect of the game,” he said. “He could challenge me to get better, and it helped me develop faster.”

Naturally, Josh followed John, who is four years older, into the sport.

“I started playing when I was 3,” Josh said. “It was because John was playing and I was at the rink with my mom, and she was like, ‘Why not throw him out there?’”

From early on, Josh loved the fast pace and physical nature of hockey, plus the camaraderie.

“There is something about the team effort,” he said. “It really helped me to stick with it.”

After excelling on the youth level, Maniscalco went to Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Minnesota for two seasons before joining the National Team Development Program. Playing for the Minnesota prep powerhouse helped in his transition this season.

“It wasn’t too bad for me personally,” he said. “I went to Shattuck for two years, so I was used to living away from home.”

Still, the move to Plymouth, Michigan, was a welcome change as it brought him quite a bit closer to home.

“I get to see my parents more often,” he said. “My grandpa is even here watching me play. It’s great to see my family more.”

On the ice, the 6-foot, 208-pound blue liner has made strides since arriving in Plymouth last August.

“I’ve learned that I need to keep the game simple and trust in the offensive capabilities of the forwards,” he said. “I learned instead of me trying to create offense, I need to give it to the forwards and let them do their job.”

Even still, Maniscalco has five goals and 18 points this season.

The year has been filled with ups and downs for Maniscalco and his teammates, but several moments stand out to him. One was Team USA’s game against Russia on Feb. 13 in the Five Nations Tournament. Although Team USA lost 5-3, the atmosphere on home ice at USA Hockey Arena was unmatched as more than 3,000 fans cheered the team on.

The energy in the rink that night was unbelievable — it helped a lot,” he said.

“We felt that energy and fed off the fans. Usually coach likes us to sit on the bench between shifts. For a solid eight minutes, nobody was sitting on the bench. Everyone was getting rowdy and was full of energy.”

International play has been a highlight for Maniscalco, who says he relishes every opportunity to wear the Team USA sweater.

“It’s unbelievable, I love it,” he said. “I come from a small town. Just being able to represent your country, playing a game that you have a passion for and love, it’s incredible. Words can’t describe it.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.