Position: forward

Shoots: right

Size: 5-11, 165

Age: 17 (03/12/89)

Years playing hockey: 14

Years with Bobcats: 1

Hometown: Manorville, NY

Hometown Newspapers: Press of Manorville & Moriches

High School: St. Anthony′s (85 avg.)

SAT: N/A

Will graduate in: June 2007

Hobbies/interests: Golf and lifting weights. Mangene was also active in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, housing victims of the storm. He has worked as a hockey counselor at The Rinx and contributed to fundraisers such as Toys for Tots.

Favorite foods: Chicken Parmigiana

Favorite movie: Goodfellas

Favorite band/musicians: Silverstein

Favorite hockey player: New York Islanders left wing Jason Blake "because no matter what situation, game or practice, he always gives it a 110 percent once he touches the ice."

Most influential person in my hockey career is: His dad, David, "because all he does is push me to make me a better hockey player as well as a person. He puts his money in for me to play because he believes in me."

Best hockey advice ever given: Don′t worry about what other people think about you, just give it your best and your time will come," from his former Long Island Gulls coach, Eddie Galiani.

Career highlights: Mangene scored five points in the 2003-04 season′s New York State Championship game and finished the tournament with 18 points. In 2001-02, he scored a hat trick in the semifinal game at Nationals, and he was the first youth hockey player in New York State to qualify for two nationals (2001-02 & 2003-04). He was a 2005-06 Met League All-Star selection and the MVP of the Toronto Wonderland Tournament for the 2002-03 season. Teams that he has played on have won the 2001-02 New York State championship, the 2003-04 Long Island League title, the 2003-04 state title and the 2002-03 Michigan Cup.

Ultimate goal: to play hockey at the NCAA Division I level.

From his coach: "He had composure and great confidence on the ice. He′s the rookie of the year right now for this team," Bobcats coach Aleksey Nikiforov said of Mangene after he had the game-winning goal on Feb. 25 and two key assists the next day at Hudson Valley. "He kills a lot of penalties and creates a lot of good things on the ice. It′s easy work with this kid. Smart kid. Beautiful attitude. He wants to be a great hockey player. He has everything right now—size. game sense, skills, desire, heart, everything. He just needs to keep going, keep working, get stronger."