Buffalo Sabres Draft Former Las Vegas Defenseman Brunet

by Joshua Boyd

June 29, 2024June 30, 2024

The United States Premier Hockey League congratulates former Las Vegas Thunderbirds (now Henderson Force) defenseman Simon-Pier Brunet for being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Brunet was selected in the fourth round, 123rd overall. The USPHL Premier is the only Tier III junior hockey league in the United States with […]

The Playoff Push: Jan. 26, 2024

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2024

By USPHL Staff In The Playoff Push, we will take a look at the busiest game days’ most integral games in regards to teams clinching playoffs or clinching specific playoff berths, as we head down the stretch toward the end of the regular season in early March. USPHL Premier Tampa Bay’s magic number against the […]

USPHL Premier And Elite National Championships Will Return To Utica, New York, In 2024

by Joshua Boyd

October 24, 2023October 24, 2023

The United States Premier Hockey League is proud to announce that the 2024 USPHL National Championships will return to Utica, New York, co-hosted between the League and the Utica Jr. Comets and the Utica Comets (AHL) organizations, between March 21-26, 2024. The host site will once again be the three-sheet Utica University Nexus Center in […]

By Islanders Hockey Club Staff

Evan Armit, a 2002-born forward from Dryden, Ontario, is a remarkable young man who has always embodied resilience and passion. He played junior hockey in the MJHL with the Winnipeg Freeze and in the NCDC/USPHL with the Islanders Hockey Club. Now in his second year at Worcester State University, Evan is a proud member of the Lancers and a dedicated Business student known for his academic achievements.

Evan’s incredible journey has taken an unexpected turn as he faces his toughest challenge yet: metastatic melanoma.

This journey began in June 2024 when Evan underwent surgery to remove a lesion from his left heel, which tested positive for melanoma. Though initial results were promising with clear margins, doctors recommended an additional surgery to ensure all cancerous cells were removed. In August 2024, Evan underwent a second procedure to widen the margins, and once again, results came back clear.

Despite these proactive measures, Evan faced further challenges. On October 18, he was admitted to UMass Hospital in Worcester for further treatment, spending three nights there. His parents, Brian and Jen, made the long trip, driving from Dryden to Thunder Bay and then flying to Boston on October 19 to be by his side. On October 21, Evan, Brian, and Jen returned to Thunder Bay, and just a day later, Evan was admitted to Thunder Bay Hospital, where he stayed for an additional 14 nights.

During this difficult period, Brian and Jen stayed in Thunder Bay facing even more significant expenses. These expenses include flights from Thunder Bay to Boston for Brian and Jen, return flights from Boston to Thunder Bay for the family, accommodations at Tamarack House, meals, and other associated costs related to nearly three weeks of living away from home.

Please Donate To The GoFundMe For The Armit Family:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-evan-armits-fight-against-cancer

Evan has shown immense strength throughout two surgeries and 19 days in the hospital between October and November. As he continues to fight and recover, we are rallying together to support Evan, Brian, Jen, and Sophie during this challenging time. Your contributions will help ease the financial burden on the family, allowing them to focus on Evan’s health and recovery.

“Evan joined IHC in his age out year and it didn’t take us long to realize that he’s exactly the kind of player we want representing the program. He is dedicated to improving his craft, competes hard on a daily basis and always has a team first attitude. Players like him have made IHC a very successful program and it’s no surprise to me he had a very successful freshman year at WSU,” said Jay Punsky, who is the Head Coach for both the Islanders Hockey Club Premier and Worcester State University NCAA teams.

“At Worcester, Evan immediately made himself an integral part of the community. He’s a resident advisor on campus and a big part of the culture in the locker room. After his diagnosis, he had to return home to seek treatment but has stayed in touch with his teammates. He has been very concerned with his teammates’ mental health and raising awareness for cancer research which speaks volumes about his character and team first mentality.”

We are united with Evan in this fight and will stand by his side, unwavering, every step of the way. Together, we believe in his strength and the power of this community to help him overcome this challenge. Thank you for standing with Evan and his family. Your generosity and support mean more than words can express.

Pics to Begin Play in Tuition-Free NCDC in 2025-26

West Springfield, Mass., Dec. 2, 2024 – The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) announced today that the Springfield Pics will join the tuition-free National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) beginning in the 2025-26 season under General Manager/Head Coach Rob Bonneau. The Pics will be the 10th team joining the New England Division, a pivotal addition to the NCDC’s ongoing evolution. A founding member of the USPHL, the Pics play at Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield, Massachusetts. In addition to the NCDC team, the Pics will field a USPHL Elite team in 2025-26.

“We have been a proud member of the USPHL since its inception and are proud to announce our elevation to the NCDC division,” said Springfield Pics franchise owner Patrick Tabb. “This gives us the opportunity to once again compete for the Dineen Cup, named in honor of our founder, Gary Dineen. We are thrilled for this next chapter in our program and provisioning for more college hockey opportunities for players for many years to come.”

“The Springfield Pics have been a cornerstone of the USPHL since its inception,” said USPHL Deputy Commissioner Tony Zasowski. “As the NCDC continues to solidify its position as the key pathway to college hockey, we are thrilled to elevate the Pics to this next level.”

About Pics Hockey

The Springfield Pics were founded in 1972 as part of the New England Junior Hockey League. Under Head Coach Gary Dineen, the team won several Eastern Junior Hockey League Championships, and a number of Pics players went on to play in the NHL. The Pics were a founding member of the USPHL, going on to win the USPHL Elite Championship in 2014 and the 16U American Championship in 2020 and 2021. The Pics operate out of Olympia Ice Center, a three-rink facility in West Springfield, Massachusetts. For more information visit springfieldjrpics.com.

About The United States Premier Hockey League

Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players aged 8-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada. Our Junior Divisions consist of the National

Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free Tier 2 Junior hockey division and our Premier and Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement.

Our youth and midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 8U through 18U teams. The USPHL has sent over 8,000 players to all levels of college hockey all-time including over 3,700 into NCAA college hockey, with more than 550 advancing to NCAA Division I hockey in the 2023-24 season. The USPHL has also had 18 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams. For more information visit usphl.com.

Read About How The United States Premier Hockey League Utilizes Ken's Ratings For American College Hockey ("KRACH") to determine its Power Rankings.

These rankings are used only to determine Divisional seeding for Premier Nationals; and for selecting the Elite wild card team to fill out the 6-team Elite Nationals field.

Power Movers: Big jumps into the Top 10 this week from the defending National Champion Northern Cyclones from 16th to seventh and the Islanders Hockey Club from 22nd to eighth. The Florida Eels also returned to the Top 10.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Games of Nov. 22-27

New England Division

Islanders Hockey Club Sweeps Four IHC Showcase Games, Part Of Seven-Game Win Streak

The Islanders were winners of all four of their games at their hosted showcase in Tyngsboro and North Andover, Minn. That also gave the Islanders a perfect 7-0 November record. The Northern Cyclones still remain first in the division, but the Islanders pulled to within four points of the defending National Champions, with a 12-6-1-0 record on the season. At the showcase, they defeated two teams from the North American Prep Hockey League – College Universel by an 8-2 score and Le Sommet Faucons by a 3-2 OT score, both on Nov. 23. They came back to win two more games on Nov. 24, defeating the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 4-1, and the league-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights by a 5-2 victory.

Two IHC defensemen – Justin Pniewski (‘04/North Haven, Conn.) and Gavin O’Keefe (‘05/Reading, Mass.) moved into a tie for sixth place in scoring by Elite defensemen as they moved up to 14 points apiece. Pniewski is two games shy of his 100th USPHL game and has 72 points for his career, while O’Keefe is a newcomer to the team.
The Islanders improved from sixth to a tie for third in goals scored per game, from 4.13 to 4.32 per game.

Elsewhere in the New England Division

The division-leading Northern Cyclones went 3-1-0-0, falling only to the North American Prep Hockey League’s Le Sommet Faucons on Nov. 24, 3-1. Prior to that, they had defeated the Montreal Black Vees, 2-0, and College Universel, 4-1, also from the North American Prep League, and additionally defeated the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 5-3, on Nov. 23.

Atlantic Division

Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights Finish IHC Showcase With 3-1-0-0 Record

A week ago, the Knights held onto a tenuous one-point lead in the Elite Conference, but they’ve since extended that to four points. This was thanks in large part to a big performance over just two days at the IHC Showcase. Weather issues delayed the Knights’ arrival to games until Saturday, forcing them to play 2-and-2 for Saturday and Sunday. They won their first three in a row, 6-2 over South Shore, 4-2 over the Springfield Pics, and 6-3 over College Universel. Only the undefeated-in-November Islanders Hockey Club bested the Knights in their fourth game in two days, 5-2.

Samvel Barsegyan (‘08/Moskva, Russia) improved from a tie for eighth among Elite defensemen in scoring to a tie for third with a four-point showing in Massachusetts. Barsegyan now has 16 points in 19 games.
The Knights got wins from three different goaltenders, including two making their Knights debuts at the showcase – Connor Blondel (‘05/Marana, Ariz.) and Jadyn Clark (‘06/Buffalo, N.Y.) – along with Anthony Shaw (‘06/Wilkes, Pa.), who improved to 4-1.

Midwest Division

Fort Wayne Spacemen Win Three Of Five At USPHL Detroit Showcase

The Spacemen won three in a row to finish the USPHL Detroit Showcase and maintain their lead in the Midwest, holding a three-point gap over second. They fell 2-1 to the Chicago Crush and 4-3 to the Chicago Cougars on Nov. 22. The next day, they defeated the Decatur Blaze in a decisive shutout win. They also shut out the Metro Jets, 3-0, on Nov. 24, and closed out with a 4-2 win over the Motor City Gamblers on Nov. 25.

Three points at the showcase helped Dylan Davis (‘06/Fort Wayne, Ind.) move from a tie for 11th in league scoring to a tie for seventh, with 24 points. He played only two games with the Elite team in Detroit, closing with two Premier games on Nov. 24. Davis has earned seven games with the Premier team on five different call-ups. USPHL Advancement In Action!
Veteran goaltender Brendan Kusbel (‘05/Mount Pleasant, Mich.) moved into first overall in goals against with a 1.28 mark. He improved to 13-7-1-3 with his Nov. 24 game in Detroit.

Elsewhere In The Midwest Division

The Chicago Cougars bounced back from a Nov. 21 4-3 loss to the Metro Jets and an early Nov. 22 loss to Motor City by winning their next two games, 4-3 against Fort Wayne and 4-2 against the Hershey Cubs. They remain tied for third in the division.
Also remaining tied for third were the Chicago Crush, who went 2-1-0-0 on Friday and Saturday after a Thursday win to finish 3-1-0-0 at the event. On nFriday, they defeated the Spacemen, 2-1, before falling to the North American Prep Hockey League’s Somang Prep, 3-1, on Nov. 23. They closed Nov. 23 with a 4-3 shootout win over the Hershey Cubs. They are tied with the Cougars for third.

Southeast Division

Hampton Roads Whalers Take First With 11-Game Point Streak

The Hampton Roads Whalers were looking powerful in their new spot of first place in the Southeast Division, leap-frogging Charlotte (idle from game action) by earning a sweep of the Jersey Hitmen in Wayne, N.J. They defeated the Hitmen, 4-1 and 6-0.

Blake Marvici (‘05/Colorado Springs, Colo.) pushed his way into the top 10 of league scoring by improving to 23 points in 22 games on the season. He put up a five-point weekend against the Whalers.
Veteran Janic Kennedy (‘04/Mission Viejo, Calif.) continues to lead the league in wins with eight, and he also improved his spot in the GAA over the last week from eighth to seventh, improving from 1.82 to 1.76 after playing his part in the 4-1 victory.

Florida Division

Atlanta MadHatters Improve By Three Points With 1-0-0-1 Weekend Performance

The Atlanta MadHatters picked up three points in a back-and-forth weekend with the host Bold City Battalion, first winning 5-2 and then falling 3-2 in a shootout on Nov. 24. They remained third, but improved their lead over fourth place by a point going into the holiday.

Jesse Zonana (‘05/Nashville, Tenn.) has put up 15 points in 17 games this season, giving him the Atlanta scoring lead. He is only one point short of his previous Elite career high of 16 points set with the 2022-23 Nashville Spartans.
Ryan Tolbert (‘05/St. Louis, Mo.) won his third straight victory when he stopped 21 of 23 for the 5-2 win against Bold City. He is now 3-2-0-0 on the season.

Elsewhere In The Florida Division

In their only action over the past week, the Florida Eels won 2-1 against the Tampa Bay Juniors on Nov. 22 to improve to a tie for first place with Tampa in the Florida Division as the teams hit the Thanksgiving break.
The Palm Beach Typhoon also won their only action of the past week, defeating the same Tampa Bay Juniors by a 5-2 score on Nov. 23 in one of the bigger upsets of the first half. It was the first Typhoon win over TBJ since Nov. 12, 2022, helping the Typhoon break a 12-game losing streak to the Juniors.

Week of Nov. 27, 2024

Games of Nov. 19-25, 2024

New England Division

Forward: Sullivan Hauser, Islanders Hockey Club

The Islanders swept their way through the 2024 IHC Showcase as hosts, and Hauser was a major driver of these efforts. The IHC is now on a seven-game winning streak, and Hauser (‘06/South Bend, Ind.), and he stands at 21 points in 18 games this season and 44 points in 51 games for his two-year IHC career.

Defense: Brady Dunn, Islanders Hockey Club

Dunn (‘05/Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored a pair of goals and added three assists for five points during the IHC’s sweep of their hosted event. He put up nine points in seven November games, all of which the Islanders won, and overall, he has 13 points in 14 games in his first USPHL season.

Goaltender: Olivier Caballero, Northern Cyclones

Caballero (‘06/Tustin, Calif.) helped the Cyclones in their 3-1-0-0 run at the IHC Showcase, including putting up a 22-save shutout win against the Montreal Black Vees team from the North American Prep Hockey League. He currently stands at 3-1-0-0 with a .926 save percentage since joining the Cyclones from the Anaheim Jr. Ducks organization.

Midwest Division

Forward: Landon Graham, Metro Jets

Graham (‘05/Lake Orion, Mich.) was massive offensively for the Jets Elite squad as he put up a 4-3-7 line over five USPHL Detroit Showcase games, over which the Jets went 3-2-0-0. He put up a hat trick against the Hershey Cubs on Nov. 22. He has improved to 21 points in 22 games this year and 48 points in 61 career USPHL games, including three up with the Premier’s MJDP squad.

Defense: Eli Kolasa, Fort Wayne Spacemen

Kolasa (‘07/Brownstown, Mich.) put up a 2-3-4 line for the Spacemen in five USPHL Detroit Showcase games, including a huge 2-2-4 performance against the Decatur Blaze at the event. With the big week for the Spacemen – who went 3-2-0-0 – Kolasa improved to 14 points in 22 games.

Goaltender: Daniel Gurtner, Chicago Crush

Crush goalie Gurtner (‘06/Berwyn, Ill.) put up 55 saves on 57 shots in going 1-1 at the USPHL Detroit Showcase. This included a 24-save shutout on Nov. 21 to open the event against the Motor City Gamblers. Gurtner stands at 4-1-0-0 with a .955 save percentage and two shutouts.

Atlantic Division

Forward: Alexander Halford, Hershey Cubs

Halford (‘07/Arlington, Texas) put up four goals and six points during his team’s four-game stand at the USPHL Detroit Showcase. He also had the Cubs’ only game-winner on Nov. 24 against Decatur. He currently holds eight points in 11 games for Hershey.

Defense: Samvel Barsegyan, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

The WBS Knights went 3-1-0-0 at the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase, and the Russian 2008-born Barsegyan played a big part in all of their wins, registering a 2-2-4 line. He continues to impress with 16 points in 19 games in this, his first North American season.

Goaltender: Jack Nahf, Hershey Cubs

A second-year USPHL veteran, Nahf (‘06/Lehigh Valley, Pa.) made his debut for the Cubs over the weekend at the USPHL Detroit Showcase. He stopped 55 of 59 shots in a 1-1 stand at the event, including a 25-save shutout of the Decatur Blaze. He took a .932 save percentage away from his first USPHL weekend of 2024-25.

Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd

Week of Nov. 27, 2024

Games of Nov. 19-25, 2024

Forward: Blake Marvici, Hampton Roads Whalers

Marvici (‘05/Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored the game winning goal on Nov. 22 against the Jersey Hitmen and registered five total points across two games with the Hampton Roads Whalers this week. Marvici is in his second season with the Whalers and has 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) across 58 career games.

Defense: Rafe Armstrong, Potomac Patriots

The Potomac Patriots were 1-1 against the Carolina Junior Hurricanes this week, and Armstrong (‘07/Long Beach, Calif.) was a major part in securing the win on Nov. 24 for scoring the game winning goal during a third-period power play. Armstrong has played 24 games in his first season with the Patriots, posting two goals and four assists.

Goaltender: Owen Nasholds, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Nasholds (‘07/Raleigh, N.C.) secured a 29-save shutout against the Potomac Patriots on Nov. 23. In his first Elite season, the goaltender is 7-3-0-0 with a .927 save percentage. This is his second shutout of the season.

Florida Division

Forward: Vincent Faggioli-Delong, Florida Jr. Blades

Faggioi-Delong (‘06/Fort Myers, Fla.) registered two goals and two assists to help the Florida Jr. Blades defeat the Florida Eels on Nov. 21, including scoring the game winning goal. The forward is playing his second Elite season with the Jr. Blades, with 46 career points (21 goals, 25 assists) over 54 games.

Defense: Zachary Barta, Florida Jr. Blades

Barta (‘06/Prior Lake, Minn.) scored one goal and posted one assist for the Florida Jr. Blades to help secure their win on Nov. 21. The defenseman has played 98 games across his three seasons with the Florida Jr. Blades, registering five goals and 26 assists for 31 career points.

Goaltender: Jasper Brophy, Palm Beach Typhoon

Brophy (‘07/West Palm Beach, Fla.) had a .964 save percentage with 54 saves on 56 shots against the Tampa Bay Juniors on Nov. 23 to help the team win 5-2 in their fifth game of the season. Brophy is 2-3-0-0 in his first Elite season with a .934 save percentage thus far.

Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.

Summaries by Taylor Dean

The United States Premier Hockey League is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2025 NCDC/USPHL All-Star Event, which will be held at the Foxboro Sports Center, in Foxboro, Mass., over January 27-28, 2025. The event will feature both the NCDC and the USPHL Premier conferences for the first time since 2021. The All-Star event has been a focal point of the NCDC calendar since the league’s 2017-18 inception and has featured several players who have gone on to excel in not just the NCAA, but also in the NHL.

NHL teams have drafted 58 USPHL players over the course of the league’s history, and more than 9,000 USPHL junior players from all conferences have played college hockey since the league’s inaugural 2013-14 season, including more than 1,575 from the NCDC alone advancing to NCAA hockey. The NCDC/USPHL All-Star Game has always been a diamond mine for scouts to find their next difference-makers in the college and pro game – including the 192 league alumni playing NCAA Division I men’s hockey in 2024-25.

“The NCDC/USPHL All-Star Event is a can’t-miss for scouts of both the pro and college levels,” said USPHL Deputy Commissioner Tony Zasowski. “Every year, the NCDC and USPHL Premier place more than 500 combined players into college hockey, and our alumni go on to become some of the game’s top contributors. More than 40 NCDC alumni, for instance, won championships and awards from their conferences and teams, including two conference players of the year, two Hobey Baker Top 10 finalists, and two All-Americans in 2023-24. The NCDC/USPHL All-Star Event is a jumping off point for highly-accomplished college hockey careers.”

2024-25 All-Stars Format

This year’s NCDC All-Stars format will see individual Division teams, with the New England, Atlantic, and Mountain Divisions fielding one team apiece. There will also be a Prospects team for the league’s top young players, many of whom may be among those selected in the NHL Entry Draft in 2025 or beyond. Each team will play two games over the two days. There were more than 200 NCDC players committing to NCAA schools from the 2023-24 season as well as alumni, including 72 who moved on to the Division I ranks either in 2024-25 or a future season.

The USPHL Premier Conference will field four All-Star teams at the event. The Northwest, Pacific, and Canada Division All-Stars will form one team; another team will represent the New England and Atlantic Divisions; the Southeast and Florida Division All-Stars will be represented by a team; and the North, Midwest, and Great Lakes Division All-Stars will field a team. Each of these teams will play two games at the event. More than 300 USPHL Premier players committed to college hockey during the 2023-24 season, while 248 Premier players from the 2023-24 season and prior years saw time with NCDC teams this past season.

Players will be nominated and teams selected during the month of December, with all rosters to be revealed in early January 2025.

Schedule And Matchups

All Times EST.

All games to be played at Foxboro Sports Center, 10 East Belcher Road, Foxboro, Mass.

Monday, January 27, 2025

NCDC Game 1: 11 a.m. FSC Rink 1 – NCDC Prospects vs. New England
NCDC Game 2: 1:30 p.m. FSC Rink 1 – Mountain vs. Atlantic

USPHL Premier Game 1: 10 a.m. FSC Rink 2 – Florida/Southeast vs. Midwest/Great Lakes/North
USPHL Premier Game 2: 12:30 p.m. FSC Rink 2 – New England/Atlantic vs. Pacific/Northwest/Canada

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

NCDC Game 3: 10 a.m. FSC Rink 1 – Mountain vs. New England
NCDC Game 4: 12:30 p.m. FSC Rink 1 – NCDC Prospects vs. Atlantic

USPHL Premier Game 3: 9:30 a.m. FSC Rink 2 – Pacific/Northwest/Canada vs. Midwest/Great Lakes/North
USPHL Premier Game 4: 12 p.m. Foxboro Sports Center Rink 2 – New England/Atlantic vs. Florida/Southeast

NCDC Impact In The NHL

This event is an opportunity to witness future NHL talent take to the ice. The illustrious list of NCDC/USPHL All-Star alumni includes Drew O’Connor (Pittsburgh Penguins), Collin Graf (San Jose Sharks), John Marino (Utah Hockey Club) and Yaniv Perets (Carolina Hurricanes), as well as NHL Draft Picks Sam Lipkin (Arizona Coyotes), Cameron Lund (San Jose Sharks), Cameron Whitehead (Vegas Golden Knights), Chase Clark (Washington Capitals), Shane Lachance (Edmonton Oilers), and Jackson Dorrington (Vancouver Canucks) among the list.

About The United States Premier Hockey League

Founded in 2012, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is comprised of over 150 teams, fielding more than 20,000 players aged 9-21 in more than 100 organizations across the North, South, Midwest, West, and Canada. Our Junior Divisions consist of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), a tuition-free Tier 2 Junior hockey division and our Premier and Elite Divisions, all geared toward college and pro placement.

Our youth and midget divisions (operated through the Tier 1 Hockey Federation) field full season 8U through 18U teams. The USPHL has sent over 9,000 players to all levels of college hockey all-time including over 3,700 into NCAA college hockey, with more than 550 advancing to NCAA Division I hockey in the 2023-24 season. The USPHL has also had 18 players who played in the NCDC drafted by NHL teams.

About The Foxboro Sports Center

The 2025 event will be the third year since 2022 that the Foxboro Sports Center is hosting the NCDC/USPHL All-Star Event. Foxboro Sports Center is a three-sheet facility with outstanding amenities such as a full-service on-site pro shop, restaurant, Stop It Goaltending school, Edge Performance Systems dry-land training center, and a large mezzanine level for viewing of two rinks as well as a private scouts room.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

There will be plenty of action in the USPHL Elite this weekend, especially with two showcases going on in Michigan and Massachusetts – the USPHL Detroit Showcase and the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase. Several teams are enjoying good runs, and there are no longer any undefeated teams.

Below, we will take a look at the top teams from each division from the results of games played between Nov. 15-21.

New England Division

Boston Jr. Bulldogs Enjoy Four-Game Point Streak

The Jr. Bulldogs ended their November portion of their schedule by going 3-0-1-0 going back to Nov. 10, which included three points earned against the defending National Champion and current division-leading Northern Cyclones. They’ve only lost one regulation game in November, falling to the Islanders Hockey Club on Nov. 4. Between Nov. 15-17, they defeated the Springfield Pics in a 3-2 shootout and also by a 6-0 score, both on the Pics’ home ice, and they fell 4-3 to the Cyclones in OT on Nov. 16.

Georgios Timeliadis (‘06/Montreal, Que.) was tapped for two straight shorthanded goal attempts against the Pics and sank them both to move into second in the league in shootout goals with two. Timeliadis has also seen time with the USPHL Premier’s Worcester Railers JHC this year.
Andrew Libby (‘05/Essex Junction, Vt.) moved into the top 10 of goals against average and remains there after stopping 34 of 36 in 65 minutes. He currently stands at 2.14.

Elsewhere In The New England Division

The Northern Cyclones continue to win enough to keep a three-point lead for the division, and they enjoyed two straight wins going into the IHC Showcase. They recently beat the Bulldogs, 4-3, in OT and then on Nov. 17, put up a 10-3 win over South Shore, who had defeated the Cyclones just four days earlier.
The Islanders are enjoying a three-game winning streak, giving them distance at third place over the fourth place Pics. The teams were a point apart a week ago, but the IHC now has a three-point lead heading into their showcase. They beat the South Shore Kings, 9-2, on Nov. 18 in their most recent action.

Southeast Division

Potomac Patriots Win Two In A Row In Mission To Turn Corner

The Patriots went up to Hershey, Pa., and picked up a pair of victories against the first-year Cubs, both by a 3-2 score, with the second of those scores coming in overtime. They hit the 20-point mark and are hoping for a big weekend against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, who are one of the two teams tied for second eight points above Potomac.

Patriots veteran Braylen Cox (‘05/Nashville, Tenn.) had a big weekend, scoring four points – all goals. He moved to a tie for first in goals league-wide with 19, and into third on the overall scoring leaderboard with 27 points on the season. He has 53 points in 97 career USPHL games.
Liam Kelly (‘04/Harleysville, Pa.) won the Nov. 16 game against the Cubs, and has five wins on the season with a .936 save percentage. He moved into the third-most minutes played with that game, at 683. He remains third in saves with 379.

Elsewhere In The Southeast Division

The Carolina Jr. Hurricanes won the only other game involving Southeast Division teams, as they beat the division-leading Charlotte Rush, 2-1. They are also now 2-1-0-0 against their in-state rivals the Rush this season. The win helped put them into a tie with the Hampton Roads Whalers, who were idle from game action last weekend. The Whalers travel north to face the Jersey Hitmen this weekend.

Florida Division

Tampa Bay Juniors Win Two More, Remain On 12-Game Point Streak

The Tampa Bay Juniors’ world is very bright, with both their teams entering Friday with either a share of first (in the Premier) or first outright (in the Elite). For the Elite team, it’s been especially sweet as they’re on an 11-0-1-0 point streak going back to the USPHL Southeast Showcase in Virginia. Their last – and still only – regulation loss was on Sept. 27 against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. Most recently, they traveled to Atlanta and defeated the MadHatters, 6-2 and 7-2.

Veteran defenseman Carter Trussler (‘06/Land O’ Lakes, Fla.) put up his fifth power play assist on Nov. 17, the third-most in the league. He currently has 57 points in 94 career games. He is two assists away from 50.
Shane Passaro (‘04/Palm Springs, Calif.) won his sixth straight game on Nov. 16, helping him remain as one of the few completely undefeated goaltenders in the league. The only goalie with more wins without taking a loss is the WBS Knights’ Roberts Kravalis, at 7-0.

Elsewhere In The Florida Division

The Florida Eels and Florida Jr. Blades, both of whom met on Nov. 21, have each gone 2-1 over the past week. The Eels defeated the Palm Beach Typhoon, 5-2, on Nov. 15 and the Blades, 7-5, on Nov. 17, before the Blades avenged that loss with a 6-3 win in Estero on Thursday. They stand two points behind the Tampa Bay Juniors entering the two top teams’ Friday night game.
The Jr. Blades are currently alone in fifth place, where they were tied a week ago with Palm Beach. Their Thursday night upset win against the Eels was their last action for a four-game November before a run of nine games in 15 days in December. The Blades also beat the Bold City Battalion, 4-1, on Nov. 15 before falling on Nov. 17 to the Eels.

Atlantic Division

Elmira Ends Knights’ Winning Streak, Improves To .500 With 2-1 Week

In one of the biggest upsets so far this season, the Impact defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, who entered the game on a 15-game winning streak, by a 5-2 score in Ithaca, N.Y. Still feeling good, the Impact went right back out the next day in Ithaca and shut out the Jersey Hitmen, 3-0. The Hitmen came back on Sunday at the Murray Athletic Center in Elmira, winning 5-2 over Elmira. The 2-1 week helped Elmira stand at 9-9-1-0 to end their November schedule.

Three-year veteran Eian Robinson (‘05/Horseheads, N.Y.) had three assists in the win over the Knights and one more against the Hitmen, surging to 17 helpers on the year – he is now tied for the league lead in that category. He has 47 points in 90 career games.
William Drouin (‘06/St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que.) had the game-winning goal against WBS in a three-goal weekend. He is currently second in game-winners by an Elite defenseman with two.

Elsewhere In The Atlantic Division

The Rockets Hockey Club picked up three points to remain in third place in the division, defeating the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 3-2, on Nov. 16, before falling to the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders in overtime, 3-2, on Nov. 17. The Rockets will carry their four-game point streak (3-0-1-0) into a Nov. 30 game against the WBS Knights to close out their November duties.
As seen above, P.A.L. won their only game in OT against the Rockets, which was their only game action since Nov. 15, and their last for November. They remain just one point behind the 15-1 Knights in both the division and overall league standings, though Charlotte is tied with the Jr. Isles in points at 29 apiece.

Midwest Division

Fort Wayne Spacemen Improve Winning Streak To Four Games, Hold First By One Point

The Spacemen, who were entering the USPHL Detroit Showcase on Friday, have won their past four games in a row, including their most recent ahead of the showcase – a 9-1 defeat of Motor City on Nov. 16. They hold 22 points heading into the showcase, just one ahead of the Metro Jets and five against the Chicago duo of the Crush and Cougars. Everyone will be busy in Motown, so it’ll be intriguing to see who comes out on top in the end.

The Spacemen as a team improved from fifth to third in goals per game, with 4.35, up from 4.27 last week.
Veteran goaltender Brendan Kusbel (‘05/Mount Pleasant, Mich.) inched up from third to second in goals against average over the past week to second at 1.36, and he also moved from fifth in save percentage on Nov. 15 to third Friday morning at .951. He is 12-6-1-3 for his career with a .914 save percentage.

Elsewhere In The Midwest Division

On Nov. 21, the Chicago Crush played their first game since the last showcase – the USPHL Fort Wayne Showcase – ended for them on Nov. 9. The Crush are 6-0-1-0 in their last seven games, including the three-game sweep of the Fort Wayne event. They defeated the Motor City Gamblers, 4-0, on Thursday and will face the Fort Wayne Spacemen on Friday.
The Metro Jets will finish a 13-game November with the showcase of which they are the host team. They started on Thursday by defeating the 4-3, and they will play in five total games at the event.

Week of Nov. 21, 2024

Games of Nov. 12-18, 2024

Southeast Division

Forward: Braylen Cox, Potomac Patriots

Cox (‘05/Nashville, Tenn.) put up four goals, including a hat trick on Nov. 17, as the Patriots got two wins against the host Hershey Cubs last weekend. He improved to 19 goals on the season, which has him tied for first in the Elite Conference. Overall, Cox has 53 points in 97 career games.

Defense: Jakob Kolega, Potomac Patriots

On Nov. 16, Kolega (‘05/Ijamsville, Md.) put up a goal and an assist against the Cubs on Nov. 16, giving him his first junior goal. He has put up four points in 16 games for the Patriots this year. Kolega is an alum of the Atlantic Hockey Federation’s Montgomery Blue Devils organization.

Goaltender: Anthony Trantas, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Trantas (‘05/Morrisville, N.C.) registered his fourth straight victory, seventh this season and 21st for his career when he defeated the Charlotte Rush with 26 saves on 27 shots. He is 21-5-1-0 with a .923 save percentage since joining the Jr. Canes in 2023-24.

Florida Division

Forward: Joshua Mason, Florida Jr. Blades

Mason (‘07/Toronto, Ont.) has been a part of the Jr. Blades organization since 2022, and most recently put up a 3-4-7 line in his first two Elite games of this season. For his Elite career, he’s played in 63 games, putting up 38 points. He has also played in 29 Premier games over his career in Estero, Fla.

Defense: Ty Elzinga, Florida Eels

The second-year Eel Elzinga (‘07/Cape Coral, Fla.) registered four assists against the Palm Beach Typhoon and Florida Jr. Blades, helping him to continue to improve his career best points total to 13 over 17 games. He also earned his first two games up with the Premier Eels over the Nov. 9 weekend at the USPHL Fort Wayne Showcase.

Goaltender: Cooper White, Bold City Battalion

White (‘06/Rapid City, S.D.) put up 37 saves on 38 shots in helping the Battalion to a 2-1 victory on Nov. 17. He now has a 3-3-0-0 record for the season.

Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to vote on the leaders, or nominate and vote on alternate candidates.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd