Whatever level he has played at, Justin Fregona has displayed a knack for finding the back of the net.
In his two seasons with St. Andrews College, a private prep school just outside of Toronto, Fregona has seasons of 44 and 47 goals, respectively, while also showing an ability to be a playmaker as well with a combined 204 points in 162 career games.
Even before that, Fregona was lighting it up with the Toronto Marlboros minor midget hockey team, where he had 37 goals, 46 assists and 83 points in 56 games.
And this season? In a new league?
Same results for the 18-year-old.
In 29 games with the Langley Rivermen, Fregona leads the junior A hockey club with 19 goals — tied for ninth in the BCHL as well — while sitting third on the team with 34 points.
“I can’t say I am really surprised with what he is doing right now,” said Langley Rivermen head coach and general manager Bobby Henderson.
“Justin has been all we expected, really. He has an uncanny ability to score goals.
“He is unbelievably creative and dynamic with the puck and just a really exciting player to watch.”
What makes Fregona’s success even more impressive, is the fact he does so despite being one of the smallest players on the ice.
Fregona stands five-foot-seven and weighs just 154 pounds.
By comparison, in practice Fregona routinely goes up against the Rivermen defencemen, who average six-foot-one and 188 pounds.
So what’s his secret to success?
“No secret,” Fregona said. “I just like to try and stay open in the offensive zone and find my teammates.
“And just hang around the net and try and get on loose pucks.”
Fregona is also adept at using his speed and his vision.
“You have to be quicker than all the other bigger guys,” he said.
“It is easier for the bigger D to get their sticks on you and push you off the puck, but as long as you continue to move your feet, you should be good to be able to out-skate them.”
“Justin is a guy that is not going to be intimidated out there. He is one of those players that if you go at him physically, he rises his game and will expose you if you decide to over-commit. He is so dynamic and is a ton of fun to watch,” said Henderson.
Fregona came west this past summer, one of four players from the St. Andrews program to land with the Rivermen in the past two seasons.
“It is so much better of a league, both exposure wise and the competition,” he said about the BCHL.
“Langley seemed like the perfect fit.”
It won’t be a long stay in B.C. however, as Fregona has committed to the University of New Hampshire Wildcats for next season.
He has also been without the Rivermen since early this month after attending training camp — and making the final roster — for Canada West at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge.
The tournament wrapped up with Canada West winning the gold medal, 2-1, over Russia in Saturday’s championship final Cobourg Community Centre.
Also on the roster was Rivermen goaltender Bo Didur, who played a back-up role, and Chilliwack Chiefs defenceman Dennis Cholowski, who played through the ranks of the Langley Minor Hockey Association.
The victory was especially sweet for Fregona, who grew up about an hour away from where the championships were held in Ontario.
“Just making the team was an honour, and the fact we ended up winning the gold medal is really something special,” he said.
“And being so close to home, it was really special to share the gold medal with them,” he added.
Fregona said he knew having a good start to the BCHL season would be key for him to get on the radar of the Canada West coaching staff, and he delivered.
He also said being on a line with Adam Sinclair and Matthew Graham — whom he played with at St. Andrews prior to this season — also contributed to his quick start with the Rivermen.
