Quinnipiac’s Chris Pelosi carries his South Jersey roots and late role models wherever he goes
Pelosi, who will play in the NCAA tournament on Friday evening, was coached by the late Tony Voce, as well as Guy Gaudreau at Gloucester Catholic.
Every time Chris Pelosi retapes his hockey stick, he writes the initials T.V. on it.
The initials stand for Tony Voce, a former Phantoms winger who died suddenly at age 43 in July. Pelosi, a Sewell native, was coached by Voce during his youth days at Hollydell Ice Arena, where the 20-year-old played for the Little Flyers and the Philadelphia Hockey Club.
“We were super close,” Pelosi said. “It broke my heart a little bit at the end of the day. I just miss him very much, but he’ll be there every single game with me.”
The first-year Quinnipiac center will keep his late mentor on his mind as the Bobcats (24-11-2) take on Connecticut (22-11-4) in the first round of the NCAA men’s hockey tournament at the PPL Center in Allentown, home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, on Friday (5 p.m., ESPNU).
It has been a difficult year for Pelosi, who’s also grieving the deaths of hometown heroes Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. The brothers were struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles on Aug. 29. Pelosi was coached by their father, Guy Gaudreau, at Gloucester Catholic in 2019-20.
A third-round draft pick by the Boston Bruins in 2023, Pelsoi has spent the last three years playing junior hockey in the United States Hockey League and North American Hockey League. He has learned to not take anything for granted and carries his South Jersey roots wherever he goes.
“I know what [Voce] would want me to do,” Pelosi said. “That’s to keep going, keep working hard, and take what he taught me every single day to the rink and translate it to my game. I couldn’t be happier for what he’s done for my family and I.”
Pelosi said his favorite memory with Gloucester Catholic was when it beat Delbarton School of Morristown for the first time. After one season with the Rams, he transferred to hockey factory Mount Saint Charles Academy — the alma mater of former Flyers goalie Brian Boucher — in Rhode Island.
At first, the 6-foot-2 forward considered attending as a freshman, but his Philadelphia Hockey Club team made a pact to stay together for one more season, and during that year, Gloucester Catholic made an NJSIAA semifinal appearance.
“It was one of the best years of my life,” Pelosi said. “It was super fun, we had a great run, and made some history that year. Guy’s philosophy was just all hard work. As our team started getting better every single day, we started making a name for ourselves.”
He also said Tom Bunting, director of hockey operations at Hollydell Ice Arena, was an influential coach who prepared him for the next level. Pelosi can still hear his former coach saying to “beat your opponents with your legs” each time he steps on the ice.
Pelosi did not make the U.S. National Development Program, but after his under-16 season, he got a call from a USHL team in Michigan, the Muskegon Lumberjacks. They invited him to practice with their group, but he eventually was cut. Pelosi joined the NAHL’s Janesville (Wis.) Jets, which he said “helped me out tremendously.”
“It’s just all about hard work,” Pelosi said. “You have to keep your head down, chase your dreams, and you’ll get there one day.”
» READ MORE: Johnny and Matty Gaudreau were more than hockey. They were inspirations to their South Jersey community.
It wasn’t long until he earned another opportunity in the USHL with the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Stampede in the 2022-23 season. Pelosi played in 99 games, totaling 34 goals and 74 points across two seasons with the team.
As the 2023 NHL draft approached, Pelosi knew there was a chance he could be selected, but after being sent to the NAHL earlier that season, he told himself it might not happen that year.
“But [the Boston Bruins] saw my work ethic and picked me in the third round [92nd overall], and I couldn’t be happier,” he said.
“The experience I had was a reality check for me. [The NAHL] is a great league. It was super challenging. … I still had to prove myself to the coaches and GM at [Sioux Falls].”
Now, Pelosi’s looking to prove himself at Quinnipiac, a Connecticut school that won its first Division I national championship in 2023. This season, he has played in 37 games and has 13 goals and 11 assists.
His parents and grandparents plan to be in attendance on Friday, and if the Bobcats advance to the next round, his younger brother, Rocco, a freshman forward at Mount St. Charles, will make the trip to Allentown to see him play on Sunday.
“I’ve definitely matured a ton here,” Pelosi said. “We have a lot of older guys on our team helping the freshmen out, but it’s a grind every single day. You have to embrace that and come to the rink ready to work. I’ve learned that the most.”