When the Hudson Valley Reapers of the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL) take the ice this fall, a man with deep ties to Yorktown hockey history will be behind the bench—team owner and coach Joey Bonitatibus.
The product of a hockey family—Joey had the pleasure of playing with his brothers Rocky and Michael during a great four-year varsity career for the Huskers—Bonitatibus was an All-League winger who led the Huskers in scoring while helping them to the sectional final in his senior campaign.
The Huskers beat John F. Kennedy Catholic in the sectional semifinals, a squad that had future New Jersey Devil Steven Santini on it, before losing to Rye in the finals.
The 33-year-old didn't play as an undergrad at Providence College, but got back on the ice as a graduate student at Western Connecticut University as an assistant captain, player/coach. In between, he returned to his alma mater as coach of the combined Brewster/Yorktown/Somers/North Salem (BYSNS) squad for three seasons, ending in 2022.
“It was a great experience coming back to Yorktown to coach, but when we found our dream house in Poughkeepsie with our first kid on the way, the distance just became too much,” said Bonitatibus, whose father Rocky is a longtime Section 1 lacrosse official. “Funny enough, one Yorktown kid I coached, Cal Duff, I brought up to play on the Vipers when we had won the APHL in 2023-24.”
Bonitatibus was referring to his time as coach of the Senior A Semi-Professional Hudson Valley Vipers, winning the American Premier Hockey League while playing their home games in the McCann Ice Arena in Poughkeepsie.
The Vipers folded, but Bonitatibus was not deterred; he was determined to keep ice hockey present in his community for his two young sons.
That determination led Bonitatibus to his current position as owner and coach of the Senior A Hudson Valley Reapers of the PPSHL. Like the Vipers, the Reapers call McCann Ice Arena home—and they’ve already built a loyal fan base there.
“The community really rallied around us and we were able to bring home a championship for them,” Bonitatibus said. “The team and I came together to an agreement that we had to at least give it a shot to come back. With a lot of work in the background and help from Max Henry (previous Vipers’ captain), we have been able to get to where we are now. I am just really excited to start giving back to the community of Poughkeepsie and inspire some of the youth to pick up a stick.”
The Reapers’ opener is home at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 against the visiting Salem Sasquatch. The mayor of Poughkeepsie, Yvonne Flowers, will be at the game to do the first ceremonial puck drop.
“It is definitely a mix of excitement and nerves but excited is an understatement,” Bonitatibus said of his anticipation for opening night. “So much work and planning has gone into setting up this team and working through contracts. The last time this team was all on the ice together for a game was almost two years ago when we were winning the APHL championship in Toledo, Ohio. I just know that the team and I couldn’t be happier to get back on the ice and put on a show for our amazing fans here in Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Valley.”
Bonitatibus’ goal is to bring a family-friendly and fun experience to the community with an emphasis on getting kids excited to play the sport he loves.
“What’s great is that our games are very interactive,” Bonitatibus said. “The players are always happy to throw pucks and interact with the kids. They will always stick around to sign pucks, jerseys and take pictures.”
Reapers home games will also give young players a chance to skate at McCann Ice Arena.
“Our first game we plan on having one of the local travel teams play during an intermission as well,” Bonitatibus said. “On top of that, we will have things like face painting and other games for the families. Plus who doesn’t enjoy a good hockey fight?”
Despite his move to Poughkeepsie, Bonitatibus keeps the memories of playing at Yorktown close to his heart.
“Being able to play with my brothers was always such a fun experience, even things as simple as the locker room environment with your buddies,” Bonitatibus said. “The best experience was our playoff run senior year. We were pretty much shoved off by the time playoffs came around and made an amazing three-game run to the section final. It was one of the best times of my life. It really helped grow my love for the game and desire to try and share that same feeling with others.”
Bonitatibus’ strong-knit family isn’t just based around hockey; the clan also competed on TV’s Family Feud game show in 2021.
“That one I have to give up to my mom,” Bonitatibus said. “There was a whole submission and then audition process we had to go through. It was such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have with my family. Regardless of being on set of a show you have watched your whole life and actually playing, it was just great to have a full family trip for a couple of days. I couldn’t be more proud of how we represented.”
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