BOSTON (AP) – The Boston Bruins selected defenseman Matt Lashoff, an 18-year-old native of East Greenbush, N.Y., with their first pick, 22nd overall, in the NHL Draft on Saturday.

Lashoff has played the past two seasons with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, where he amassed 46 points and 141 penalty minutes in 106 regular season games.

“Lashoff is a real strong skater who plays a finesse game,” Bruins director of amateur scouting Scott Bradley said in a prepared statement. “He sees the ice really well and he’s a good outlet passer.”

Lashoff played in only 44 regular season games last season because of a case of mononucleosis, which may have caused him to fall in the draft, Bradley said.

“When he fell to right where we were picking, we were very happy,” Bradley said. “We’re just ecstatic to have had the chance to select him.”

The Bruins selected two defensemen and six forwards among their eight overall selections in seven rounds of the draft, which was held in Ottawa, Ontario.

Lashoff was the only U.S.-born player selected by Boston, which also chose three from the Czech Republic, three Canadians, and one from Finland.

Boston selected Petr Kalus, a center from Vitkovice Jr. in the Czech Republic, in the second round with the 39th overall pick.

The Bruins picked Mikko Lehtonen, a right winger of Blues Jr. in Finland with their third round pick, 83rd overall.

In the fourth round Boston picked defenseman Jonathan Sigalet out of Bowling Green, and center Vladimir Sobotka of Slavia Jr. in the Czech Republic.

Center Wacey Rabbit of Saskatoon in the WHL was picked in the 5th round. Lukas Vantuch, a forward from Jihlava in the Czech Republic, was selected by Boston in the sixth round.

Brock Bradford, a center from Vancouver, was Boston’s pick in the seventh round, 217th overall. Bradford played for Omaha of the United States Hockey League last season, and will attend Boston College this fall, the Bruins said.

AP-ES-07-30-05 1934EDT

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