Monarchs sign Ward, Privitera

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Manchester Monarchs Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Rich Seeley announced that the team has signed Cory Ward and Alexx Privitera to contracts for the 2016-17 season.

The Monarchs are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings and the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign.

Ward signs with Manchester for his first full professional season after spending the majority of the 2015-16 season with Bimidji State University. With the Beavers, Ward scored 19 points (9g-10a)in his senior season, and finished his time at Bimidji with 80 points (45g-35a) in 151 career games.

The 22-year-old native of Las Vegas, Nev. played in eight games with the AHL's St. John’s IceCaps after the Bimidji season ended and recorded three assists. Before heading to campus, Ward played two seasons in the NAHL for the Aberdeen Wings where he scored 120 points (67g-53a) in 113 games. Ward was named to the NAHL All-Rookie First Team in 2011, and was a member of the 2012 NAHL All-Central Division Team.

Privitera, 23, spent the 2015-16 season at the University of Vermont where he scored 42 points (13g-29a) in 77 games over the course of two seasons. Privitera spent a year playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL after deciding to transfer to Vermont from Boston University. With the Fighting Saints, Privitera skated in 57 games and netted 44 points (11g-33a) while serving as the team captain. In two seasons playing for Boston University, Privitera logged 26 points (6g-20a) in 48 games.

The native of Old Tappan, N.J. was a member of the U.S. National Team that took home a gold medal in the 2010 World U17 Hockey Championship.