UConn's Mike Cavanaugh tabs Pereira, Souza as new assistants

On Friday afternoon, sources told Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant that former Boston University captain Joe Pereira and Brown assistant Mike Souza would join Mike Cavanaugh's first staff at the University of Connecticut.

Pereira is a West Haven, Connecticut native and played four years for the now-retired Jack Parker, including serving as co-captain with Chris Connolly for his senior season in 2010-11. He was a member of the 2009 national championship-winning squad that defeated Miami in an overtime thriller, but suffered an injury in the Hockey East title game and was unable to play.

Following his Terrier career, he played professionally in Sweden and in the United States Hockey League for parts of two seasons.

Souza graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2000, before starting a professional career in the AHL and also overseas. The Wakefield, Mass. native joined Brendan Whittet's staff at Brown for two years, after concluding his playing days in Italy.

Cavanaugh was introduced as the fourth coach in Husky program history on May 9, after spending 18 years on Jerry York's staff at Boston College that included four national titles.

2013-14 will be UConn's final season in Atlantic Hockey before moving into Hockey East. The Huskies will be awarding hockey scholarships for the first time this year, according to the Courant report, and will be at the full Hockey East allotment by 2016.

Joshua Kummins covers Hockey East for SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKummins.