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<p>CRANBERRY TWP. &#8212; As a young boy growing up in Italy, Thomas Di Pauli made a plan.</p><p>He wanted to earn a college degree and then play professional hockey. When Di Pauli received a scholarship from Notre Dame, his plan was set in motion.</p><p>His college degree secured, Di Pauli finds himself in the Pittsburgh Penguins training camp hoping to achieve the second part of his plan.</p><p>It didn&#8217;t take long for the 22-year-old to get started on the right track.</p><p>Less than a minute into Friday&#8217;s scrimmage at the opening day of camp, Di Pauli scored a goal to put his team up, 1-0. He also played physical throughout while skating on a line with Conor Sheary and Nick Bonnino.</p><p>&#8220;Putting this sweater on is a huge honor and playing with two phenomenal players like Bonnino and Sheary, right off the bat, is incredible,&#8221; Di Pauli said.</p><p>In fact, the experience seemed to validate Di Pauli&#8217;s earlier career choice a few years ago when he chose to remain in college after being drafted in the 4th Round by Washington in 2012. Rather than turn pro and join the Washington organization, he chose to remain at Notre Dame and continue his development for both his hockey career and for life after the game.</p><p>&#8220;I have nothing but great things to say about the Washington organization, but at the end of the day I wanted to do what was best for me which is finish college,&#8221; Di Pauli said. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t feel the need to leave early and Notre Dame, which is such a prestigious school, opened a big door for me.</p><p>&#8220;Hockey eventually ends for everybody so it&#8217;s nice to have that degree.&#8221;</p><p>Right now hockey is still beginning for Di Pauli. He signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh organization this summer after becoming a free agent and finishing his college.</p><p>His career at Notre Dame &#8212; where he was teammates with Bryan Rust &#8212; finished on a high note with team-high 14 goals in 37 games.</p><p>Di Pauli said he was drawn to the Pittsburgh organization partly because of the style of play exemplified by Rust and the other forwards. Pace, puck possession and a bit of physicality are the elements that fit his game, and Di Pauli isn&#8217;t concerned about making the adjustment from college to pros.</p><p>&#8220;Playing three games in the rookie tournament definitely helped to get back into the flow. Playing the pros can be similar to college, depending on what team you played on,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Now that Di Pauli is well on his way toward achieving the second part of his plan, he isn&#8217;t opposed to starting the season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and working up to the NHL.</p><p>After all, he&#8217;s seen young forwards such as Rust, Sheary and Scott Wilson accomplish the goal last season and is optimistic an opportunity will present itself this year.</p><p>&#8220;It would be good for me to go to Wilkes-Barre and get that pro hockey style under my belt and grow as a player before I make that step,&#8221; Di Pauli said. &#8220;There are going to be injuries in the NHL so you want to have that confidence &#8212; like Rust did to come right up and play with Malkin. The coaching staff at Wilkes-Barre can make sure you&#8217;re focused and ready to play in those big moments.&#8221;</p><p><strong>NOTES</strong></p><p>&#8226; Di Pauli displayed plenty of physicality during Friday&#8217;s scrimmage, but he deflected some of the credit. &#8220;I think it was (Steve) Oleksy that was being more physical on me, so that made me look more physical. I have to thank him for that,&#8221; Di Pauli said.</p><p>&#8226; D Ethan Prow had a strong showing in the scrimmage, finishing with a goal and an assist.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Thomas Di Pauli moved to the U.S. from Italy to earn a college degree and become a professional hockey player. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_DiPauli.jpg</photo0><caption0>Thomas Di Pauli moved to the U.S. from Italy to earn a college degree and become a professional hockey player. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Penguins rookie Thomas Di Pauli feels he found right fit with Pittsburgh organization