USPHL Elite 2022-23 Mid-Atlantic Division All-Stars

by Joshua Boyd

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023

Congratulations to our Mid-Atlantic Division All-Stars, who were selected from votes made by the coaches with support from the League Media Director. Forwards John Crowdell, Rockets Hockey Club Crowdell (‘03/Staten Island, N.Y.) might be a surprise to some, but for those within the Rockets Hockey Club, they’ve seen this coming for a few years. […]

#USPHLNationals Elite Team Preview Series: Jersey Hitmen

by Joshua Boyd

March 22, 2023

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com Jersey Hitmen Seed: Mid-Atlantic #2 Round Robin Schedule All games played at Utica University Nexus Center, Utica, N.Y. Game 1: Thursday, March 23, vs. Florida Eels, 10 a.m. Game 2: Friday, March 24, vs. Northern Cyclones, 2:30 p.m. Game 3: Saturday, March 25, vs. Charlotte Rush, 12 p.m. […]

#USPHLPlayoffs Series Preview: Jersey Hitmen vs. New York Aviators

by Joshua Boyd

March 10, 2023March 10, 2023

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com Mid-Atlantic Division Jersey Hitmen (2) vs. New York Aviators (3) All games at Ice Vault, Wayne, N.J. Game 1: Friday, March 10, 8:45 p.m. EST Game 2: Saturday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. EST Game 3: Sunday, March 12, 5:30 p.m. EST (if necessary) It’s Northern New Jersey vs. […]

#USPHLPlayoffs Series Preview: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights vs. Rockets Hockey Club

by Joshua Boyd

March 10, 2023March 10, 2023

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com Mid-Atlantic Division Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights (1) vs. Rockets Hockey Club (4) All games played at Revolution Ice Centre Game 1: Friday, March 10, 12 p.m. EST Game 2: Saturday, March 11, 1 p.m. EST Game 3: Sunday, March 12, 4:30 p.m. EST (if necessary) The USPHL Elite’s top dog, the […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Month – February 2023: Mid-Atlantic Division

by Joshua Boyd

March 8, 2023March 8, 2023

Summaries by Marlee Bulman Forwards Eddie Kienzle, New York Aviators With the Aviators, No. 91 left wing Kienzle put up an impressive 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in helping his team to eight wins and the third seed in the division for the upcoming playoffs. For the season, the Brooklyn native […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

February 25, 2023February 24, 2023

Games of Feb. 15-21 North Division Submitted By Joshua Boyd Forward: Loik LeClerc, Springfield Pics LeClerc (‘03/Mont-Tremblant, Que.) put together four goals and one assist during his three games at the South Shore Kings Presidents Day Showcase. This included a hat trick against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, the Mid-Atlantic Division champions. In 14 Elite games, […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

February 17, 2023

Week of Feb. 8-14, 2023 North Division Summaries by Joshua Boyd Forward: Denis Menshchikov, Boston Junior Bruins Although it was a tough week for the Junior Bruins, Menschikov (‘04/Kaliningrad, Russia) had a fantastic offensive showing of four goals and two assists, getting in on every one of the six goals his team scored over […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

February 10, 2023

Games of Feb. 1-7, 2023 North Division Summaries by Joshua Boyd Forward: Matthew Domanchuk, Islanders Hockey Club Domanchuk (‘04/Oklahoma City, Okla.) put together three games with a line of three goals and four assists for seven points, as the Islanders went 2-0-1, part of an overall 10-0-1-2 point-earning streak that has them just seven […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Month – January 2023: Mid-Atlantic Division

by Joshua Boyd

February 6, 2023

Summaries by Marlee Bulman Forwards Eric McHale, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights Left wing McHale (‘05/Maple Shade, N.J.) led all Elite players in scoring for the month of January. Over 10 games played, McHale posted 9 goals and 16 assists for 23 points to help bring the Knights straight wins and one shutout for January. They […]

USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: North Region

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2023

Games of Jan. 17-23 North Division Summaries By Joshua Boyd Forward: Danil Nikiforov, Boston Junior Bruins Nikiforov (‘05/Moskva, Russia) scored the final two goals of a five-game, six-goal streak, including a goal that helped push the Junior Bruins to overtime against the first-place Northern Cyclones on Jan. 22. He has 14 goals and 11 […]

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

Talk about a roller coaster of emotions – first, you’re in the National Championship game, but then your opponent comes away with the win, but then you’re talking to your future NCAA college hockey home – all in the space of a few hours.

This was the reality for three-year Charlotte Rush standout Cam Perez, whose conversations with New England College started the very same day the Rush faced and fell to the Northern Cyclones in the USPHL Premier National Championship in Utica, N.Y.

“I actually started talking to New England College a couple hours after my final game in Utica and continuously talked with them for a few weeks leading up to my visit,” added Perez, a 2002-born blueliner from West Hartford, Conn. “At my visit, Coach Tom Carroll said he loved my ability to move with the puck as a D-man and how offensive-minded I was, as that was very different from the D they had this previous season.”

Perez was part of the Rush’s USPHL Elite National Championship team in 2021, as well as an All-Star Elite blueliner in 2021-22. His 64 points in 74 career regular season and playoff games in the Elite is the second-best all-time for the Rush at that level. He made a seamless transition to the Premier this year, putting up 30 points in 39 games and adding two points during the Rush’s nine-game postseason. This once again illustrates how beneficial time in the Elite is towards Premier potency and an NCAA future.

“What interested me most at first about New England College was definitely Coach Tom Carroll. His background of coaching is unlike a lot of NCAA Division III coaches as he was with Notre Dame for 14 years and with Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL for a few years as well before he came to NEC,” said Perez. “Coach Tom Carroll’s track record is great with moving players on from college to pro and having someone like him to guide me and help me get to the next level really attracted me to the school. Being a smaller school on the academic side, I really liked the 1-on-1 a lot of the students get with their teachers. They are smaller classes, which gives you a lot more opportunity to get help when you need it and I definitely liked that a lot.”

He will be studying Sports and Recreation Management at NEC, which is located in Henniker, N.H. The hockey program has made three trips to the NCAA National Championships in its history, which dates to 1969. Perez is excited to be going there alongside Rush teammates Shane Adler and Matt Esquerre.

“Shane and I actually went on our visit together a few weeks prior to our last game against the Cyclones. I really enjoyed the campus and atmosphere there. Having a rink right in the middle of campus was huge for me. Being able to get on the ice kind of whenever and just having that access really made me a lot more interested,” said Perez. “The campus itself was beautiful, right in the middle of New Hampshire, only an hour out from Boston. It just seemed like a great spot for me. Being in the NEHC Coach Fletch [Fletcher Fineman] and Coach Carroll couldn’t stress enough how good the division they were in was and how great the competition was every night, and that really kind of sold me to commit there as I wanted the hard competition and I want to be around other great players.”

“Being able to go to school with Matt and Shane next year is awesome for multiple reasons. It definitely is going to be nice being able to have a couple familiar faces and close friends going into my first year, but also it is going be very nice to have them by my side on the ice as I’m sure our chemistry from last season will translate to this coming season as well,” said Perez.

Chemistry and a family atmosphere have always played a part in why Perez remained with the Rush organization for three seasons.

“The Charlotte Rush as an organization is the best place to be as a Tier 3 program, no questions asked,” said Perez. “Charlotte is really unlike any other team – they push you to be not just a better player but a better person, participating in multiple charity events, helping out with youth practices and also just to be a good person.

“On the ice, you’re getting the best coaching you can get in this league day in and day out,” he added. “We go over video before every practice and have workouts after every practice, while also playing in the best division. Everybody carries their own weight, which is why Charlotte is such a winning program and is why they attract the best players.

“The Rush have a very good track record of sending guys to play NCAA. Multiple past players are currently playing Division I, Division III and even pro,” Perez said. “This is what attracts the players that come into Charlotte and what players want in a program and is why Charlotte is continuously a top team.”

He is also proud to now be a USPHL alumni heading to NCAA college, after taking full advantage of the league’s multi-layered Tier III system, moving from the USPHL 16U Division with the Springfield Pics and up to the Elite and Premier with Charlotte.

“The USPHL is a great place to develop as a player. There are so many opportunities in this league to become a good player and that will take you to wherever you want to go,” he said. “What this league has done the past few years is remarkable and I’m sure it will only go up from here.”

Perez will continue to work hard as he has done for so long, whether with the Rush or prior to that with the prestigious Elite Hockey Academy AAA program in Northford, Conn. He wants to go to New England College at the peak of his game, and helping Coach Carroll continue to build a strong and well-respected NCAA program.

“I really want to work on a lot this summer, but my main thing is my skating and vision with the puck,” he said. “Going into my first NCAA season, I have to be ready to be that young guy again and play a way smarter game.”

The USPHL congratulates Cam Perez, his family, the Charlotte Rush and New England College for his commitment.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

The United States Premier Hockey League and North American Prep Hockey League are proud to announce a cooperative agreement to field North American Prep Hockey League teams at four USPHL Showcase Series events during the 2023-24 season.

The fully Canada-based North American Prep Hockey League teams – all Canadian prep school teams – will face teams from the USPHL Elite conference at the following events: BJB Shootout (Sept. 29-Oct. 1), Hitmen Classic (Oct. 6-8), Islanders Hockey Club Showcase (Nov. 17-19) and Northern Cyclones Showcase (Feb. 9-11, 2024).

The North American Prep Hockey League teams involved include College Universel (Gatineau, Que.), College St-Jean-Vianney/CSJV (Montreal, Que.), Crystal Beach Academy (Fort Erie, Ont.), Le Sommet (Hawkesbury, Ont.), NCHA (Ottawa, Ont.), Sniper Hockey Academy (Toronto, Ont.), Simcoe County Academy (Barrie, Ont.), Somang Hockey (Montreal, Que.), Sparta Academy (Toronto, Ont.), VC Hockey Academy (Laval, Que.) and Wolves Academy (Kanata, Ont.)

“The USPHL is always looking for ways to improve the exposure for the players. After meeting with Anthony Miele, Commissioner of the North American Prep Hockey League, it was very evident we shared the same vision on growing the game and doing what’s best for the player,” said Bob Turow, Commissioner of the USPHL. “This venture will offer all the players new competition and new opportunities. It was an easy decision to join our leagues and offer some highly competitive games.”

“The North American Prep Hockey League is excited for our Canadian teams to be able to go across the border and play some of the finest teams In Junior Hockey,” said Anthony Miele. “After meeting Bob Turow, Commissioner of the USPHL, there was a great feeling that we could be on to something special. Our league has been looking for opportunities south of the Canada-U.S. border and we have found a great match. This will allow scouts and teams to see some new players and options for players to move up the ladder with the USPHL.”

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

Two years of USPHL Elite hockey was just the right measure for Richmond Generals defenseman Jonathan Beiber to move on from an Elite championship season to the USPHL Premier and put together an All-Star season. All that also led to his NCAA Division III commitment to Salem State University, in Salem, Mass.

“I think the USPHL’s path from Elite to Premier is really good for younger guys After having an ACL injury and cutting my first year on Elite short, it was great to be able to come back and compete at the same level so that I could improve and prepare for a year at the Premier level,” said Beiber, an ‘02 out of Pittsburgh.

“I think the Gens have one of the best development models in the league. From giving younger Elite guys the chance to come up to Premier to get some practice experience and having a few defensemen-focused skill days per month, the Gens have a great development path for young players,” said Beiber, building on the Elite-to-Premier-to-College pathway. “The coaches really gave me opportunities to try new things and play in different situations which improved my game immensely.”

That improvement was certainly noticed throughout the year and at USPHL Nationals by Assistant Coach Jimmy Currier and the rest of the Salem State staff.

“I started talking with Salem State around February this year. Coach Currier and I have talked regularly since then,” said Beiber (pronounced “bye-ber,” not like the pop star of no relation whose surname is also spelled differently). “The coaches really liked my ability to control the play and make smart decisions with the puck. On the hockey side, their facility was great. The rink being on campus was a huge bonus for me. For academics, their finance program really piqued my interest, and I will be majoring in finance.”

He got a feel for the Vikings culture during his visit, and it certainly reminded him of the family atmosphere he got while playing for the Generals, where nearly 60 Premier and Elite players formed an unbreakable bond.

“I really enjoyed my visit to the campus. The boys on the team seem really close to one another and that is part of what I enjoyed so much at the Richmond Generals,” added Beiber. “I made my commitment official because I knew Salem State was the right fit for me after my visit. The team also had great success in the MASCAC playoffs which was fun to watch.”

In his three years with the Generals, Beiber got to play in the Elite championship game (and win, in 2022) and play in the Premier semifinals (2023). Overall, he put up 49 points in 61 combined regular season and playoff games in the Elite – winning All-Star honors in 2022 – and 27 points in 49 combined Premier games – and Premier Southeast Division All-Star honors this past year.

“I enjoyed every minute playing for the Gens. The connections I made with some of my teammates and coaches there will last way past the end of my junior career,” said Beiber. “The coaches and the ownership really care for their players and treat them like family.”

It’s going to be an intense off-season, one he looks forward to as he knows that a long and productive career kicks off in the fall.

“This summer, I’m really trying to focus on getting stronger so that I can play a physical, intense game at the NCAA level,” added Beiber.

The USPHL congratulates Jonathan Beiber, his family, the Richmond Generals and Salem State University for his commitment.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

The USPHL and the Columbia Infantry are proud to announce that the Infantry will be moving to the Southeast Division in each of the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite Conferences for the 2023-24 season.

The move came about as the Nashville Spartans have recently moved from the Southeast to the Great Lakes Division, and the Florida Division added the expansion Bold City Battalion, based in Jacksonville, Fla. With this move, and the additional move of the Buffalo Stampede to the Great Lakes Division, each of these three Premier divisions will number six teams in 2023-24.

“I am very excited for our organization to join the Southeast Division next season,” said Jacob Smulevitch, Head Coach and Assistant General Manager for the Infantry, who play out of Flight Adventure Park in Columbia, S.C. “It is full of championship culture with multiple National Championships won by Charlotte, Carolina, Richmond, and Hampton Roads. In addition, Potomac is now a powerhouse as well. Each and every weekend feels like a playoff series.

“Widely considered the best division in the USPHL, I think that playing in the Southeast will provide our players with even more looks at the Tier 2 and collegiate levels,” Smulevitch added. “As our goal is player development and advancement, I think this move will help us even further with that.”

Smulevitch has history within the division as he is a past coach in the Charlotte Rush organization, helming their USPHL Elite team in 2021-22 as Head Coach, and helping to run the Premier bench as an Assistant Coach the same season.

Similarly, the Infantry are no strangers to the Southeast Division – they played two home-and-home series against each of the Charlotte Rush and Carolina Jr. Hurricanes at each of the Premier and Elite levels last year. They also played all other Southeast teams either once or twice in showcase games.

“We know moving to this Division will be no easy task but we are excited for the challenge and look forward to hopefully making our first playoff appearance in franchise history in the gauntlet of the Southeast this year,” he added.

The USPHL wishes the Columbia Infantry the best of luck in the Southeast Division in 2023-24.

The Jersey Hitmen are proud to announce that two-year USPHL Elite forward Colin Reis has committed to Rutgers University, the state university of New Jersey. Reis, an ‘04 native of Chatham, N.J., played in a combined 76 games and posted totals of 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points over regular season and playoff games.

He talked about why he chose Rutgers to continue his career at the ACHA level.

“Rutgers was a place I really saw myself being at for the next four-plus years. It is a great community and thriving with opportunity. More importantly, I noticed hockey. I knew this was a great program led by a great coach like Coach Joe [Dickson]. I think the coaching staff was impressed by my hockey IQ, as personally, I think I process and adapt to the game differently than most players. More importantly though, I think they believe that I can continue to develop into someone who contributes strongly to the success of the team and the program over the next four years,” said Reis.

Reis was extremely satisfied with the two years of player development that he spent with Coach Jim Raymond and the Jersey Hitmen.

“My development with the Hitmen was what I had really hoped for in a junior hockey program. During my two years at the Hitmen, I really progressed as did my hockey skills. My time with the Hitmen made me the player and person that I wanted to be. It was not an easy process at all. My first year there was a big change in the sense of how I played hockey, and being part of juniors hockey. It’s something I had to work hard for and fortunately I was lucky enough to have such a great program like the Hitmen to help me with the process.

“Coach Raymond was a big part of the reason I became a better hockey player and why I came to the Hitmen. He pushed me everyday and at times he was tough on me. He was one of the best coaches I’ve ever had, and I am lucky to have someone like him given me a chance and believe in me.”

The USPHL and Jersey Hitmen congratulate Colin Reis, his family, the Jersey Hitmen and Rutgers University for his commitment.

Congratulations to our Southeast Division All-Stars, who were selected from votes made by the coaches with support from the League Media Director.

Brayden Strong, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Some returning veterans will improve on their points, some will even double. There are few who are able to more than triple their points – especially if they scored 21 the year before. When the final buzzer sounded in the regular season, the lifetime Jr. Cane Strong (‘04/Wake Forest, N.C.) put up 18 goals and 48 assists for 66 points in just 39 games, good for a 1.69 points per game average. That was the second best regular season in Jr. Canes Elite history, which helped earn him a unanimous vote. Strong had eight points in six postseason games to help the Jr. Canes to the National Championship.

Jacob Gifford, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Gifford (‘04/Cary, N.C.) improved his points total by even more than Strong, improving from nine points to 56 this year, off an even 28-28-56 line in 39 games. He was also on fire in the postseason en route to the National Championship, as he put up a 5-4-9 line in seven games. His 28 goals were good for third all-time in the Jr. Canes’ USPHL Elite history, and his five postseason goals were also a team record. He tied for the all-time Jr. Canes playoff record in points with teammate Tristan Seney.

Zarand Varga, Potomac Patriots

Varga (‘04/Hungary) enjoyed his first season in North America, joining after a very offensively productive season in his home country. With the Patriots, who made their first playoff appearance in their history, posted 20 goals and 40 assists for 60 points this season. He set team records for assists (40), points (60) and points per game average (1.76).

David Csemi, Potomac Patriots

Varga’s Hungarian countryman was actually originally born in 2004 in Dunajská Streda, Slovakia, but joined his longtime Gyori ETO club teammate in going to North America. And the results were not much different from Varga’s. Csemi put up a line of 23-33-56 in 39 games, and he set the single season goals record and was second all-time in Patriots Elite points.

Spencer Barrow, Charlotte Rush

Receiving several votes from across the league, Barrow (‘04/Massapequa, N.Y.) was the outright and clear leader for the always-strong Rush squad. He put up 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 39 games, good for a 1.23 points per game average. His 29 helpers ranked in the all-time Top 10 for the Rush, never an easy leaderboard to crack. He also put up four points in five games.

Wesley Wilding, Richmond Generals

Wilding (‘04/London, Ont.) received multiple votes, saluting the first-year junior forward for his numbers, as he put up 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points in just 33 games. His 1.39 points per game average was fifth best in Elite GEnerals history, one that includes the 2019 and 2022 National Championships. He also played 12 games this year for the Gens’ 18U team and five more games (with three points) at the USPHL Premier level for Richmond. Wilding was also responsible as a two-way player, putting up a +18 rating.

Gino Indelicato, Nashville Spartans

Indelicato (‘05/Chicago, Ill.) gave the Spartans a fantastic first year sparkplug to get them started. He became the Spartans’ first leading scorer, and the first to hit at least a 1.00 points per game average. He put up 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points in 42 games as a junior rookie. Certainly many eyes will be on Indelicato as he continues to move through his junior career.

Brayden Taylor, Hampton Roads Whalers

Taylor (‘03/Virginia Beach, Va.) put forth his best of three seasons with the Elite Whalers, as he doubled his previous points total from 16 to 32 this year. Taylor posted 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points in 36 contests. A career Whalers player, he improved at the Elite level in points from 11 to 16 to 32.

Defense

Colby Markham, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Not only one of the best ‘05 players in the league, Markham (‘05/Raleigh, N.C.) was one of the overall best players in the USPHL Elite – and his efforts certainly paid off in the end with the Elite National Championship. Markham put up a line of 9-36-45 in 42 games for a 1.07 points per game average. His 45 points is an all-time record for a Jr. Canes defenseman, but it doesn’t end there. He also put up 52 blocks and registered 46 takeaways while also leading the entire USPHL Elite in shifts (1,102) this past season. In the playoffs, he added a 3-1-4 line in seven games.

Wesley Sweitzer, Charlotte Rush

Sweitzer (‘03/West Chester, Pa.) put together a powerful season of a 7-34-41 line offensively, and helped the Rush to yet another 30-win season, their fifth straight at that level. He put up a +23 rating, as well and also posted 58 blocked shots and 63 takeaways on the season.

Wilder Outman, Charlotte Rush

Outman (‘03/Fairview, Texas) was a total package on the blue line this year for the Rush. He put up a line of 5-19-24 in 41 games, showing he can certainly jump up into the rush, but he was also a menace to opposing offenses. He put up 76 blocked shots, the most in the league, and he was also a +16 this year.

Goaltender

Tristan Falsetto, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Falsetto (‘02/West Palm Beach, Fla.) had a fantastic season in 2021-22 with his prior USPHL Elite team. But it was like the best dream ever when he jumped in with the Jr. Canes, especially the way the story ended. He went 10-2-0-0 this year with a 1.73 goals against average and a .940 save percentage in the regular season. Great stuff – but he was not even close to being done. In the postseason, he put up a 3-0 mark and then it was a 1.69 goals against average and a .944 save percentage – all topped with nothing better than a National Championship.

Ethan Carlone, Richmond Generals

Carlone (‘04/Tecumseh, Ont.) joined the 2022 defending National Champion Generals as a rookie and certainly did everything he could to help the Gens in their title defense campaign. It didn’t quite go the way they wanted, but they did pick up an outstanding new goaltender in the process. He put up a .934 save percentage, the second best save percentage for an Elite goalie with at least 800 minutes played. He also registered a 2.05 goals against average and a 12-3-0-0 record.

Evan Crawford, Charlotte Rush

Crawford (‘04/Greenwich, Conn.) was another great pickup for not just the Rush but the USPHL Elite overall this year, as Crawford had come out of Ohio’s University School and put up a .932 save percentage and a 1.82 goals against average as a junior rookie. Oh, and Crawford also put up a league-leading six shutouts for the season. What you call “a great get.”

Congratulations to our Mid-Atlantic Division All-Stars, who were selected from votes made by the coaches with support from the League Media Director.

Forwards

John Crowdell, Rockets Hockey Club

Crowdell (‘03/Staten Island, N.Y.) might be a surprise to some, but for those within the Rockets Hockey Club, they’ve seen this coming for a few years. Crowdell first joined the Rockets in 2019-20 at the USPHL 16U level and continued for two 18U seasons before being the true leader in every respect for this year’s team. He put up 29 goals and a league-leading 44 assists for a league-leading 83 points. That was good for Top 10 all-time in the Elite Division and is the second best season by a Rockets Elite player in the six years of the Conference.

Louis David, Rockets Hockey Club

The Rockets Captain, a third-year player for Head Coach Todd Wagenbach, put together his best of three seasons with a line of 21-28-49 for a 1.14 points per game average over 43 games. Talk about continued upward mobility in his offense – he’s improved from seven to 30 to 49 points in his three years.

Edward Kienzle, New York Aviators

The ‘05 hometown hero from Brooklyn, Kienzle had another outstanding offensive showing for the season, improving on the All-Star worthy 62 points of last year by putting up 76 points off a 33-43-76 line this year. He finished third in goals in the Elite with 33, and fourth in assists with 43. All-time, Kienzle is second in Elite points with 153 points in exactly 100 regular season games played. He also has seven points in five playoff games in his last two years.

Michael McGowan, New York Aviators

No. 2 on the Elite goal-scoring charts this year was another Brooklyn native, this being the ‘03-born McGowan. He put up 37 goals in his first junior season coming out of the New York Stars 18U AA program. McGowan added 33 assists for a clean 70-point season, good for fifth overall.

Eric McHale, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

The #WilkesWagon made it all the way to the Elite final this year, and it really was no surprise given their scoring depth all year. The regular season champion Knights were led by the 2005-born Maple Shade, N.J., native who tied Kienzle at third in points with 76. He put up a 25-51-76 line that so impressed the WBS hockey operations staff that he earned the rare distinction of a direct call-up to the Knights’ NCDC team from Elite, skating in one game. McHale scored 10 points in seven postseason games.

Brody Bess, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

A longtime teammate of McHale, including in the Philadelphia Little Flyers Midget program, Bess also joined up with the Knights this year and put up a fantastic 32 goals and 58 points in 34 games for a 1.71 points per game average. In the playoffs, he continued a torrid pace that pushed the Wilkes Wagon to the final, posting 15 points in seven postseason games. Bess also earned one game apiece with the Knights’ Premier and NCDC games during the season.

Jared Showen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Showen (‘03/Brushton, N.Y.) is a repeat Elite All-Star after putting up 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points in just 26 games. He also played in three games with the Knights’ Premier team, posting a 1-1-2 line there. In just 64 Elite games, he has posted a total of 102 points in the regular season – and he’s also put up 18 points in 13 playoff games after two straight trips to the Nationals in the Knights’ first two years.

Jason DiMatteo, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

DiMatteo (‘04/Boca Raton, Fla.) only got a chance to play in half the season due to a broken ankle, but at the time of his injury in December, he was the clear leader in points per game with 2.04. That’s, of course, where he finished and remained with the best mark in that category thanks to his line of 32 goals and 17 assists for 49 points in 24 games.

Defense

Matthew DiCarlo, Jersey Hitmen

DiCarlo (‘04/Saddle Brook, N.J.) was unquestionably one of the top defensemen anywhere in the league throughout the year, always earning Head Coach Jim Raymond’s trust in every situation. With an 8-22-30 line in 44 games, the second-year Elite veteran DiCarlo was a guiding light for a team with 16 ‘05’s and ‘06’s. He also got a chance to help out with the Premier team, posting two assists in four Premier games.

Oliver Kiel Straarup, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Straarup (‘03/Kerning, Denmark) came into this, his third North American season but first in the USPHL with a will to win and that’s exactly what the Knights did so much of this year. To help the team secure the No. 1 overall seed to close the regular season and jump in the playoffs on the right foot, Straarup was the league leader in points per game by a defender with 0.86 off a line of 8-22-30 in 35 games. He also had three assists in seven postseason contests.

Anthony Crescimanni, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Crescimanni (‘05/Syosset, N.Y.) has been a regular with the Jr. Islanders for a few years now and has been with legendary Head Coach Aleksey Nikiforov throughout. After playing for Nikiforov on the 16U Islanders last year, he moved with the coach to the Elite side and experienced fantastic success there. He came away from his rookie junior season with a very impressive 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points in 42 games.

Goaltenders

Frank Smith, Jersey Hitmen

Smith not only helped the Hitmen finish second in a division that was the strongest it’s been in years, he also helped push the Hitmen to their second Nationals trip in three years. A veteran goaltender for the Hitmen, Smith (‘04/Little Ferry, N.J.) repeats as an All-Star thanks to his .926 save percentage and a 10-5-3-1 record. Smith saw his first five games with the Premier team this year, as well. He’s just as effective in the postseason, with a two-year playoff save percentage of .933.

Michael Grima, Rockets Hockey Club

When you’ve had multiple years of players like John Crowdell and Michael McGowan shooting at you in practice, you can’t help but sharpen your skills. This former New York Star and Rockets Hockey Club 18U goaltender very successfully moved into the junior realm this year with a save percentage of .919 and a win-loss record of 12-11-3-0. Grima is an ‘03 out of Staten Island, N.Y., just the same as longtime teammate and fellow All-Star John Crowdell.

Dylan Boughen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Boughen (‘04/Peterborough, U.K.) returned to the Knights fold this year even more determined to shake off the title of backup by putting together a season for the ages. He finished undefeated in regulation with a line of 15-0-2-0 and the league’s third best save percentage at .933, not to four shutouts (also third in the league). He was even better in the playoffs as the Wilkes Wagon traveled all the way to the final, with Boughen earning a Dan K Show Player of the Game nod despite the opponent Carolina Jr. Hurricane taking the win. For his 30-game Elite career, he is 23-3-2-0 with a .923 save percentage.

Congratulations to our Florida Division All-Stars, who were selected from votes made by the coaches with support from the League Media Director.

Forwards

Lorenzo Marchetta, Florida Eels

The division’s second-leading scorer had his moment in the spotlight after a highlight reel goal in the playoffs made the ESPN SportsCenter Top 10. But that was just one of more than 30 goals he scored in the regular season and playoffs. For the regular season, the ‘03 from Montreal, Que., put up a 28-40-68 line in 41 games (1.66 points per game) and added a 7-5-12 line in six games. He’s ready to star at the Premier level now, as well, as indicated by his seven points in a three-game call-up.

Adamo Di Re, Florida Eels

Di Re (‘03/Vaudreuil, Que.) was an extremely effective offensive option for the Eels to provide them the greatest depth, as evidenced by a 4.8 goals per game average (fifth in the league, first in the division). He put up 21 goals and 37 assists for 58 points as a junior rookie out of the Northern Pre-University 18U squad in his home province of Quebec. He tied with Marchetta for the team lead in plus-minus as well with a +40. He added seven points in six regular season games.

Alexander Clingerman, Florida Eels

Clingerman (‘03/Marriottsville, Pa.) was another contributor to the Eels’ offensive charge, posting 25 goals and 30 assists for 55 points in 41 games, good for a 1.34 points per game average. He has twice been a 20-goal scorer in the Elite Division, and improved his points total from 36 last year to 55 this season. Clingerman also led Florida Division forwards with 72 hits on the season. In the postseason, he was on fire with 12 points in six games.

Sean Boltin, Palm Beach Typhoon

The USPHL Elite’s leading scorer, an ‘05 from Chicago, not only finished a close second in the USPHL Elite in scoring with 82 points, but was also the league’s goal-scoring leader with 43 in 43 games, which set the new record for goals in a single USPHL Elite season. His 82 points ranked eighth all-time for a single season.

Brayden Curry, Palm Beach Typhoon

Curry’s 37 assists this year contributed to the 53 points he posted this season and the 55 total career assists in the first two years of the Typhoon’s existence. Curry (‘05/Torrance, Calif.) finished with his team’s second best and tied for the league’s third best points per game of the season at 1.89, as he played in just 28 games. He also spent 13 games with the USPHL Premier Typhoon, where he added a goal.

Lucas Nichols, Palm Beach Typhoon

With 33 goals this year, Nichols finished in a three-way tie for third in the Elite goal-scoring race. He also added 27 assists for 60 points, one of just 11 league-wide to hit that high mark. Nichols (‘04/Cape Coral, Fla.) played in all 44 games this season, one of only 30 players league-wide able to do so, and the only member of the Typhoon to skate in all contests.

Cooper Lundberg, Atlanta MadHatters

Lundberg, an ‘05 local product from Atlanta, was very often the hottest hand on the ice. He had some big point runs, like putting five points up twice in a row to bridge November and December, or a run of 13 points in a row in six games, including five games in a row of two points or more. To close the season, Lundberg had 26 goals and 32 assists for 58 points in 38 games. He also had four points in three games.

Ari Blatt, Tampa Bay Juniors

The Tampa Bay Juniors’ offense was one of the Elite’s best this year, as they finished being one of eight teams that averaged at least four goals per game (at 4.06, ranking eighth). Blatt, with a line of 21-21-42 in 42 games, was the leading scorer for this largely by-committee offensive approach. Out of 26 total players on the TBJ Elite roster, only one goaltender didn’t register at least one point.

Defense

Carter Trussler, Tampa Bay Juniors

Trussler so impressed the Elite Florida coaches that he earned votes from beyond his own team. A frequent selection for Defenseman of the Week over the course of the season, the ‘06 from Land O’ Lakes, Fla., played in all 44 games for the Juniors and registered six goals and 19 assists for 25 points while also earning 55 defensive takeaways.

Frederick Bonebrake III, Tampa Bay Juniors

Bonebrake (‘05/Lithia, Fla.) is another local talent that signed on for his first year with the Juniors and immediately impressed his coaches and others from around the league. He put up five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 36 games. He also played with his local high school this past season, Newsome High. He also registered 48 blocked shots and 42 takeaways over the course of the season.

Sean Burke, Florida Eels

Burke (‘03/Wellesley, Mass.) stepped out of Massachusetts public high school hockey in his hometown right into a top spot on the Eels blue line. He was selected as a nominee by the Eels because of his pure attention to keeping shots against the Eels goaltenders down, the job of a defenseman. The Eels placed seventh overall and second in the Florida Division with 31.3 shots against per game. He also blocked 44 shots and had 48 defensive takeaways. In 40 games, he posted a 2-21-23 line to show he could chip in at both ends.

Christopher Maybury, Palm Beach Typhoon

A second-year blueliner for the Typhoon, the ‘04 from Jacksonville, Fla., increased his point production from the blue line five-fold this year, improving from five in the Typhoon’s inaugural season of 2021-22 to 25 points this year, off a 4-21-25 line. He was also a +11 with 56 takeaways this season, showing just how good his two-way game.

Goaltender

Dylan Bruce, Tampa Bay Juniors

An easy pick here, Bruce (‘05/Kitchener, Ont.) was the only Florida Division goaltender to rank in the top 10 of both save percentage and goals against average. The former was a .921 and the latter was a 2.46 mark. His best run in putting together 12 wins on the season was a stretch from Jan. 29 through Feb. 24, when he won five in a row and allowed more than one goal just once – and that was giving up two. He also had a 25-save shutout in that stretch along with stopping 41 of 43 shots.

Daniel VanBrunt, Columbia Infantry

VanBrunt (‘05/Smithtown, N.Y.) earned votes from beyond his own team for putting together a .911 save percentage while facing an average of 38 shots per game. In one contest last fall, he nearly saw double that but was up to the task – he stopped 67 of 69 to defeat the Tampa Bay Juniors on Oct. 9. He had a 4-1-0-1 start to the season, before the first-year Infantry struggled much of the rest of the year. He still put together gems, like stopping 47 of 49 in an OT loss to Nashville on Jan. 21, He also stopped 51 shots against the Florida Eels and 54 against Tampa in the space of six days, albeit both games resulting in losses. With his youth, he certainly has a bright future ahead.

Congratulations to our North Division All-Stars, who were selected from votes made by the coaches.

Forwards

Josh Bruno, Northern Cyclones

Bruno (‘04/Los Angeles, Calif.) was a powerful force for the Cyclones all year, as they reached the National semifinals for the second straight season – after also reaching the final in 2022. Moving up from the Northern Cyclones Academy 18U team one year prior, Bruno put up 29 goals and 39 assists for a North Division-leading 68 points in 42 games for the Cyclones. The Northern squad came across the regular season finish line at second overall with 77 points.

Makar Korotchenko, Northern Cyclones

Korotchenko (‘04/Nijmegen, Netherlands) came into the Cyclones fold with one prior year of junior experience in the Toronto-based GMHL. That certainly helped provide some leadership for the young ‘Clones team, as he churned out 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points in just 35 games played, good for a 1.46 points per game average, second only to his teammate Josh Bruno.

Matthew Domanchuk, Islanders Hockey Club

Domanchuk (‘04/Oklahoma City, Okla.) might have surprised some, as a first-year junior player coming out of the non-traditional market of his hometown Oklahoma City, but the always spot-on coaching and scouting staff of the Islanders Hockey Club knew what they were getting. And he fully paid up on those expectations, putting up 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points in 41 games. He averaged 1.22 points per game along the way. Domanchuk impressed so many coaches that he earned votes from beyond his own team.

Logan Cavalcanti, Islanders Hockey Club

Another player earning votes beyond the IHC fold, Cavalcanti (‘04/Dunedin, Fla.) posted 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 39 games, an average of 1.23 points per game. He was another diamond find, coming out of Palm Harbor University High School in his home state. Along with his efforts at the Elite level, Cavalcanti earned a three-game call-up to the Premier Conference.

Quirino DoCanto, Bridgewater Bandits

The Bandits knew exactly what they were getting this year in the veteran DoCanto (‘02/Wareham, Mass.). A third-year USPHL veteran who came out of the nearby Wareham/Carver High School in 2020, DoCanto increased his Elite points production almost three-fold. He moved from 23 points last year to 61 points here in 2022-23, placing him ninth in league scoring and second only to the Cyclones’ Josh Bruno in the North Division.

Daniil Nikiforov, Boston Junior Bruins

Nikiforov (‘05/Moskva, Russia) was a huge pickup for the Junior Bruins, a team that struggled especially earlier in the season but got a jump from the addition of Nikiforov and other imports. His first North American season yielded great dividends, namely 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points in 28 games for an average of 1.14 points per game.

Defense

Brady Bomal, Northern Cyclones

Bomal (‘03/Westford, Mass.) was a great presence coming in as a second-year Elite blueliner for Head Coach Tim Plummer’s young team, and one that helped the team make another deep drive into the Nationals. He improved his points total from eight points to a line of 7-27-34 to finish fifth among all Elite defensemen.

Josh Page, Northern Cyclones

Page (‘03/Wake Forest, N.C.) earned votes from outside of his own organization, thanks to his veteran leadership that was right up there with that of his teammate Bomal. He also saw an exponential improvement in his points output, moving from 14 last year to 31 points this season and also finishing in the top 10 overall (tied for sixth).

Connor Horn, Islanders Hockey Club

Horn (‘04/Danvers, Mass.) has been working and developing in the IHC program for some years and has now become an indispensable blueliner for the Elite team of 2022-23. He skated in 40 games, producing five goals and 23 assists for 28 points and earned himself the All-Star votes needed to cement the evidence for him to be one of the Elite’s best on the blue line.

Ben Wosko, Springfield Pics

Talk about a dark horse pick, Wosko was nominated and voted on by coaches outside of his own organization. The ‘05 from Suffield, Conn., was a textbook two-way defenseman who didn’t put together the game-by-game highlights that might have earned him weekly or monthly honors during the season, but rather a steady, in-your-face game that saw him register 17 points in 32 games. A local area product, he was recently with the Suffield-Granby-Windsor Locks high school team while also playing for the Pics’ USPHL 15U squad in 2020-21.

Goaltenders

Maximilian Pierce, Northern Cyclones

The ‘Clones’ legacy of constantly churning out top goaltenders in this league continues. Pierce’s season was historic as his 18 wins is tied for second all-time in a single Elite season, knotted with fellow former Cyclones goalie Dylan Sheets (2019-20). He also finished with the league’s best save percentage this year at .937 and third best goals against average this season at 1.92.

Chase Ebeyer, Springfield Pics

It wasn’t often sunshine and roses for the Pics this season, but Ebeyer gave them fantastic chances to win all season and backstopped many of the team’s best victories in and out of their division. He received votes from outside of the Pics organization, showing just how much respect he earned throughout the season. The ‘04 from Scottsdale, Ariz., posted a .915 save percentage. One of his best showings was Jan. 20, when he stopped 54 of 60 shots in 65 minutes, and then stopped all five Islanders Hockey Club shootout attempts for a big upset victory. He also ended the season with a 47-save effort against the Northern Cyclones and a victory against the New York Aviators, stopping 29 of 31.

By Richmond Generals Staff

NCAA Division 1 National Champions

The Richmond Generals were thrilled to see former USPHL Elite and Premier defenseman Austin Mourar (2017-19) claim the 2023 NCAA Division III National Championship as a member of the Hobart College Statesmen in March.

For the Generals, it continued a Tradition of Champions that has reached every level of the college hockey realm in recent years. Following is a list of all championships since 2014 that former members of the Richmond Generals organization have won:

NCAA Division I National Championship

Zac Jones – University of Massachusetts (2021)

NCAA Division 3 National Champions

Logan Fredericks – University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2019)

Austin Mourar – Hobart College (2023)

NCAA Division 2 National Champions (Northeast-10 Conference)

Jon Ballard – Southern New Hampshire University (2014)

Nic Fenuccio – Assumption College (2017)

J.T. Kossakowski – Southern New Hampshire University (2019)

ACHA Division 2 National Champions

Brandon Ritchey – New York University/NYU (2017)

Conan Hayton – University of Mary, 2021 and 2022 Back To Back National Champions

NAIA National Champions

Mike Curran – Aquinas College (2018)

NJCAA National Champions

Jay Croop – Williston State College (2015)