USPHL Elite 2023-24 Atlantic Division Players Of The Month: January 2024

by Joshua Boyd

February 5, 2024February 5, 2024

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations. By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com Forward: Justin Morrissey, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders Morrissey (‘06/Patchogue, N.Y.) continues to be a massive threat, and one that has helped the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders stand as […]

USPHL Elite 2023-24 New England Division Players Of The Month: January 2024

by Joshua Boyd

February 4, 2024February 4, 2024

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations. By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com Forward: Josh Bruno, Northern Cyclones During the month of January, Bruno (‘04/Glendora, Calif.) put up 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points. In so doing, […]

The Playoff Picture: Feb. 4, 2024

by Joshua Boyd

February 4, 2024

USPHL Premier In the Northwest, Vernal has locked up first round home ice. Rogue Valley has locked up fourth place in the division, setting the field of four for that division. Seattle can challenge Vernal for first, but not today. They are in good position to move past Casper in second, as the Totems are one […]

USPHL Elite 2023-24 Southeast Division Players Of The Month: January 2024

by Joshua Boyd

February 3, 2024

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations. Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com Forward: Yianni Tsatsoulis, Charlotte Rush Tsatsoulis (‘04/San Clemente, Calif.) had a massive January when he registered five goals and added 11 assists for 16 […]

Northern Cyclones Showcase To Feature Top-Flight Stretch Drive USPHL Premier, Elite Hockey

by Joshua Boyd

February 2, 2024February 2, 2024

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com Beginning Feb. 8, the 2024 Northern Cyclones Showcase will kick off at Cyclones Arena in Hudson, N.H., marking the final UPHL Premier and Elite event on the unparalleled USPHL Showcase Series calendar for the 2023-24 season. The event runs from Thursday, Feb. 8, through Monday, Feb. 12. Teams from […]

The Playoff Push: Jan. 28, 2024

by Joshua Boyd

January 28, 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 and Motor City both […]

The Playoff Push: Jan. 27, 2024

by Joshua Boyd

January 27, 2024January 28, 2024

USPHL Elite 2023-24 Midwest Division Players Of The Week

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2024

Week of Jan. 26, 2024 Games of Jan. 18-24, 2024 Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com Forward: Trevor Touchton, Motor City Gamblers Touchton (‘04/Utica, Mich.) exploded for six goals and eight assists for 14 points in a busy stretch of four games in one week. On Jan. 21, he put up a 2-4-6 […]

USPHL Elite 2023-24 North Region Players Of The Week

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2024

Week of Jan. 26, 2024 Games of Jan. 18-24, 2024 Summaries By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com Atlantic Division Forward: Tyler Hamlin, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights It’s not often you’ll see a player score a four-goal game in an eventual loss, but that’s what Hamlin (‘05/Binghamton, N.Y.) did when he put up four against the Atlantic […]

The Playoff Push: Jan. 26, 2024

by Joshua Boyd

January 26, 2024

Week of Feb. 11, 2024

Games of Feb. 1-7, 2024

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forward: Andrew Engstrom, Chicago Cougars

Engstrom (‘06/St. Charles, Ill.) registered three goals and three assists for the Cougars against Decatur, a season high for the former Orland Park Viking. He improved his points total to 32 points in 33 games.

Defense: Caleb Simpson, Metro Jets

Simpson (‘05/Davison, Mich.) contributed five assists for the Jets over three games against Decatur and Fort Wayne, including three assists in a key game against the Spacemen. He has improved to 21 points in 34 games for this first junior season.

Goaltender: Eliot Duerr, Metro Jets

Duerr (‘04/Plymouth, Mich.) made 32 saves in that big win against the Fort Wayne Spacemen, helping them to get serious distance over their divisional foes. Duerr is 7-3-0-0 with .926 save percentage.

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 start of playoffs in early March.

USPHL Premier

24 games today

The Las Vegas Thunderbirds clinched a Pacific Division playoff berth after the Lake Tahoe Lakers took a loss on Friday.

The Minnesota Mullets (24 points), Dells Ducks and Isanti Outlaws (23 points) continue their battle for the last two Midwest West playoff berths. The Mullets host the Ducks again today, after Dells won on Friday. Final placement will need to wait a week.

First place (Connecticut Jr. Rangers), seventh place (Jersey Hitmen) and eighth place (Brooklyn Aviators) are all locked up in the Atlantic Division. Many of the spots between second and fifth are seeing close battles. A few weekends remain before we see these teams, including the Hitmen, setting their GPS apps for destinations.

Who can clinch home ice today? A Seattle win vs. Rogue Valley would give Seattle first round home ice.

Ontario has clinched home ice by virtue of the tiebreaker. Fresno and Ontario will host, and Vegas and Bakersfield will travel.

USPHL Elite

14 games today

Nine of these games are showcase games involving the North American Prep Hockey League affiliate teams – these teams do not participate in the Elite playoffs, but the results of the games they play count toward standings and points counts.

New England will sort itself out soon. A Cyclones win today will lock down first place. The next Islanders Hockey Club win plus a Pics loss will settle second and third respectively. The Junior Bruins will travel in the playoffs to face the top seed, that much is certain already.

Florida is the only Division that hasn’t finalized all of its postseason contenders. Palm Beach and Bold City play today. The result will benefit the Jr. Blades, who face Tampa this morning.

Midwest Elite: Five teams have a 12-point spread from high to low. The top two teams get a bye. Third and fourth get first round home ice. Lots to watch there.

Week of Feb. 9

Games of Feb. 1-7

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forward: Charles Norris, Charlotte Rush

Norris (‘06/Weddington, N.C.) was huge for the Rush last weekend as they picked up three wins against the rival Hampton Roads Whalers. He registered three goals and four assists for seven points. He now has nearly as many goals as games played, with a line of 24-21-45 in 25 contests. He’s also been up with the Premier Rush for 12 games.

Defense: Hudson Hinich, Hampton Roads Whalers

Hinich (‘03/Ancaster, Ont.) was in on a third of his team’s offense as he led the Whalers in ice time over their series with Charlotte. He put up two goals and an assist and was on the ice for four total Whalers goals out of nine total. A second-year Whaler, Hinich has more than doubled his points output year over year from nine last year to 20 this year. He has 29 career points in 55 Elite games and has also played in 17 Premier games.

Goaltender: Taeyang Lim, Potomac Patriots

Lim (‘03/Busan, South Korea) stopped 66 of 70 shots as the Patriots split their weekend against the defending National Champion Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, giving him a .943 save percentage for his weekend of work. He is now 4-1-0-0 this season with a .945 save percentage.

Florida Division

Forward: Dylan Hineman, Tampa Bay Juniors

Hineman (‘06/Tampa, Fla.) helped the Juniors to a pair of decisive wins against the Palm Beach Typhoon to help push them towards potentially clinching a Florida Division regular season championship. He put up a 3-2-5 line during the weekend and improved to 44 points in 35 games. This season, he’s splitting between TBJ and the local Steinbrenner High, where he’s teammates with Tampa teammates Matthew Killen, Marcus Benzrihem and Ari Blatt.

Defense: Adam Roberts, Tampa Bay Juniors

Roberts (‘06/Tampa, Fla.) had a fantastic weekend as well for the Juniors, posting a 3-2-5 line along with three hits, four blocked shots and a +7 for the pair of games. He’s another local product who joined after playing with River Ridge High School (with Juniors teammate Kevin Dionne), Clearwater Ice Storm (with Shane Passaro) and the Tampa Bay Crunch 16U squad (with eight current Juniors teammates).

Goaltender: Michael Pelc, Florida Eels

Pelc (‘04/Akron, Ohio) stopped 36 of the 37 shots that the Eels faced on Feb. 3, the middle game of a three-game sweep of the Bold City Battalion. Pelc has improved to 4-3-0-0 with a .932 save percentage and a 1.96 goals against average this year.

Week of Feb. 9, 2024

Games of Feb. 1-7, 2024

Forward: Bogdan Guntypov, Islanders Hockey Club

Guntypov (‘06/Astana, Kazakhstan) had a strong performance over three games, which included two wins against the Connecticut Jr. Rangers last week. He scored two goals and added four assists for six points. That helped him pass the 50-point mark with 51 through 36 games this season.

Defense: Justin Pniewski, Islanders Hockey Club

Pniewski (‘04/North Haven, Conn.) is in his second season with IHC and continues to be one of the foundations of any success the Islanders enjoy. He put up two goals and two assists for four points during the three-game weekend that including the wins against Connecticut and a close loss to the Junior Bruins. He currently has 49 points in 76 career games.

Goaltender: Shane McKone, Springfield Pics

The Pics swept a series against the Elmira Impact last weekend, and McKone was key to their 1-0 victory on Feb. 4. He stopped all 30 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season. The shutout was his seventh win and he was 7-7-1-1 after that victory. He currently holds a .938 save percentage.

Atlantic Division

Forward: John Crowdell, Rockets Hockey Club

A single-game offensive explosion of four goals and four assists (in a 9-6 win over the Jersey Hitmen on Feb. 4) put Crowdell one point back of the league career scoring record, which he would go on to break on Feb. 9. The eight-point game put him at 175 points and also gave him 49 goals and 43 assists for 92 points right then.

Defense: Sulajman Taipovic, Rockets Hockey Club

An ‘04 from Staten Island, N.Y. (also Crowdell’s home borough), Taipovic in his fourth season with the Rockets organization. He has moved up from the 16U level to the Elite over the years and now has seven points in 32 games after a 1-2-3 line against the Jersey Hitmen. Taipovic originally started with the Elite last year, playing 11 games while also playing in the Rockets’ 18U program. He has become a firm full-timer for Coach Todd Wagenbach this year.

Goaltender: Erik Werkhoven, Elmira Impact

Werkhoven (‘05/Santa Fe, N.M.) played lights out and came away with an amazing 53 saves, really did everything he could to help his team, but they just got edged out in a 3-2 shootout against the Springfield Pics on Feb. 3. Werkhoven had an impressive .924 save percentage over three starts between Jan. 14 and Feb. 3.

By USPHL Staff

USPHL Premier

In the Midwest West, the Minnesota Mullets (24 points), Isanti Outlaws (23 points) and Dells Ducks (22 points) are vying for spots 7, 8 and 9. Only the 7-8 teams will make the playoffs however. The Minnesota Mullets host the Dells Ducks today. A Mullets win today will make it extremely hard for the Dells, who give up games in hand to both Isanti and the Mullets.

Everywhere else is really position jockeying.

Who can clinch home ice today?

Casper is idle this weekend. Two Seattle wins vs. Rogue Valley would give Seattle first round home ice. Today’s schedule is roughly one-eighth of the remaining season. There’ll be a much clearer picture for tomorrow.

USPHL Elite

11 games today

We’re watching the Florida Division to see who wants the final playoff berth most between the Florida Jr. Blades, Palm Beach Typhoon or Bold City Battalion. The Jr. Blades can put more distance between themselves and the other two by picking up points in their Tampa game today. This game could be a preview of the 1v4 playoff round at Fort Myers next month.

The Cyclones’ magic number against the Islanders Hockey Club is 3. A win vs. Elmira coupled with a loss by the Islanders to Somang Hockey will lock up first in New England.

The Bruins’ loss yesterday locks them into fourth place. Today’s results could send them to the Cyclones and leave the Islanders Hockey Club with the mission to garner enough points to host the Pics. The Pics’ hopes for second would start with winning today against the Rockets.

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forward: Trevor Touchton, Motor City Gamblers

Touchton (‘04/Utica, Mich.) is a local player who has absolutely been on a tear throughout this season, to the point where he’s in the top 10 of the USPHL Elite, tied for ninth with 53 points. During January, he put up eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in eight games (2.1 points per game average). He enjoyed a seven-game point streak, in which he put up all those 17 points. He also got a chance to play up with the Premier Gamblers team for his eighth game at that level.

Forward: Nick Allen, Motor City Gamblers

Allen (‘04/Utica, Mich.) has followed essentially the same path as his former Utica Ford United High School teammate Touchton, starting out in the Metro Jets organization last year and playing this year with the first-year Gamblers Elite squad, and enjoying quite a bit of success. He put up six goals and 10 assists for a 16-point month over eight January games. Allen also has played in three Premier games, including a Jan. 11 game against MJDP alongside Touchton. For his second USPHL season, he has 33 points in 27 games.

Forward: Lukas Kurowski, Chicago Cougars

Kurowski (‘05/Elk Grove Village, Ill.) had a massive January, especially considering where he ended the month. With the Elite Cougars, he posted five goals and seven assists for 12 points in five games, good for a 2.4 points per game average. Kurowski joined the Cougars out of the Northwest Chargers program and he’s been a great find for the first-year Cougars Elite squad, registering 29 points in 26 games. He then moved on to play with the Premier squad on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 with the Premier Cougars, scoring his first Premier goal on Jan. 31.

Defense: Jack Squire, Motor City Gamblers

Squire (‘06/Livonia, Mich.) has proven to be one of the best young blueliners in the Elite and especially the Midwest Division this year, this being his third Player Of The Month honor this season. He put up a goal and 12 assists for 13 points in just seven games last month. Squire has 42 points in 33 games to rank second in Elite defenseman scoring. His two-way play has also encouraged the Premier Gamblers to give him four games up this year, including on Jan. 20.

Defense: Jack Gardner, Chicago Cougars

The ‘06 blueliner Gardner has been enjoying a point streak that started in Chicago and has continued into February. He scored a goal and seven assists for eight points in five games in January and added a goal on Feb. 1 (outside of the scope of this Players Of The Month recognition) to make it a six-game scoring streak. He now has 20 points in 27 games with the Cougars.

Goaltender: Johnny Augusta, Chicago Crush

Augusta (‘04/Medinah, Ill.) came aboard with the first-year Crush Elite team from the Chicago Flames program, as well as the Chicago Bruins in prior seasons. He’s been a terrific addition to the overall Crush program, especially looking at his performance in his three January games. He stopped 96 of 103 shots for a .932 save percentage and a 2-1-0-0 record. This also gave him a 2.33 goals against average. The Crush have in turn been able to climb to second in the Midwest Elite standings as of this writing.

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com

Forward: Will McLaughlin, Atlanta MadHatters

The MadHatters were awfully busy in January, putting in 13 games over the 31-day month. McLaughlin (‘04/Yorktown, Va.) averaged a goal per game over that busy stretch, and he added seven assists for 20 points. This gave him a division-leading output of 1.54 points per game during the month. McLaughlin has had a topsy-turvy season, joining the MadHatters after the unexpected mid-season dissolution of the Richmond Generals. He’s actually found even more of a scoring groove with the MadHatters. After registering 12 points in 19 games in Richmond, he has 23 points through 17 games in Atlanta – and 20 of those were in January.

Forward: Colby Sims, Atlanta MadHatters

Sims (‘04/Rocky Mountain House, Alb.) put up a line of five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 11 games, with a 1.27 points per game average. Sims remains a hearty veteran and a good leader for a MadHatters team that is already set for the Florida Division playoffs and will finish no lower than third this year. He has put up 37 points in 34 Elite games and he’s also gotten called up for five games this year, including two in January. For his career, Sims now has 81 points in 69 games.

Forward: Alex Cochran, Florida Eels

The Eels got a good six goals and four assists for 10 points in seven games out of Cochran (‘05/Plano, Texas), which helped the Eels clinch their Florida Division playoff spot and continue to push for first in the division, which they could potentially still attain in February. Cochran has come out of strong programs including the Dallas Stars Elite and McKinney North Stars and into a fabulous rookie season for the Eels, moving into third on the Eels in scoring with 32 points in 33 games.

Defense: Lucas Gonzalez, Tampa Bay Juniors

Gonzalez (‘04/Superior, Colo.) put up a strong month of a 3-8-11 line in nine games, while also skating an average of 19:50 per game for the Florida Division-leading Tampa Bay Juniors. That was good for second on the team, and his +7 last month was good for second among the Tampa Bay defense. Gonzalez split his time between the Premier and Elite last season and has been a great staple for the Juniors who are on a five-game winning streak. He has 31 points in 37 games this year.

Defense: Jacob Munkwitz, Tampa Bay Juniors

Munkwitz (‘04/Smithtown, N.Y.) brought three prior years of USPHL hockey at the 16U and Premier levels to help lead a young, 2006-heavy Juniors squad alongside his frequent defense partner Gonzalez. He put up five goals and six assists for 11 points in eight games. He also led the Juniors through January with an average of ice time with 20:03, and his +9 rating led the Juniors defensemen as well. This year, Munkwitz has amassed 33 points in 33 games.

Goaltender: Jackson Bernier, Atlanta MadHatters

The second-year Elite goaltender Bernier (‘03/Belfast, Maine) had a very strong month that kept the MadHatters in a good position to possibly reach as high as first in the Florida Division as they are already fully clinched for a playoff berth. Bernier played 238 minutes during the month of January, and went 2-1-1-0 with 130 saves on 138 shots. He also shut out Palm Beach with 29 saves during the month. This gave him a .942 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average. This season, Bernier has posted a record of 8-5-2-1 with a .951 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average.

Top Performers Of The Week (Jan. 24-31)

Forward: Jan Zeman, Tampa Bay Juniors – 1GP 2G 1A 3PTS

Defense: Reid Wilson, Florida Eels – 1GP 0G 2A 2PTS

Goaltender: Nate Haas, Florida Eels – 60min. 2.00 GAA 22 saves on 24 shots, .917 save %, 1-0

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forward: Justin Morrissey, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Morrissey (‘06/Patchogue, N.Y.) continues to be a massive threat, and one that has helped the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders stand as one of the Atlantic Division-leading teams. He put up five goals and added eight assists for 13 points, giving him an average of 2.6 points per game. He is also averaging more than two points per game for his whole season, scoring 70 points in 33 games.

Forward: Lucas Lewin, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Lewin (‘06/Hewlett, N.Y.) was right there point-for-point with Morrissey as he scored eight goals and added five assists for 13 points in six games. He helped get himself into the Elite Conference’s top 10 of scoring, with 55 points in 34 games. Lewin first started with P.A.L. in the 15U Division, helping them win a USPHL 15U title in 2022. He played for the P.A.L.’s THF 16U team last year and this year has skated in both the Elite Conference and Premier, putting up three points in his two Premier games.

Forward: Bobby Trites, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Trites (‘06/Smithtown, N.Y.) came into the P.A.L. Elite squad having plenty of prior experience playing with both Lewin – on the P.A.L. 15U team – and Morrissey – on the Long Island Royals, so it’s not surprising that he’s having offensive success. Experience and chemistry are two powerful ingredients to putting up numbers like his seven goals and five assists for 12 points in six games. He has played in just 23 games so far this year, but has already put up 37 points on the season.

Defense: Matt Burns, Jersey Hitmen

Burns (‘05/Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que.) has helped the Jersey Hitmen go 8-1-1-0 over their last 10 games, thanks in part to a busy month of three goals and three assists for six points. The Hitmen went 7-1-0-0 during the month of January, and Burns has put up eight points in his nine Elite games so far. He’s also played at the USPHL Premier Conference level this year.

Defense: Peter Allen, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders

Chalk up another veteran of the 2022 USPHL 15U Champion Jr. Islanders who is helping to make the P.A.L. Elite squad a difference-maker this year, and a team that has the 2024 USPHL Nationals in their crosshairs for the first time. Allen registered four assists in five games during the month of January. The ‘05 from Oceanside, N.Y., was a P.A.L. youth player even before joining their Midget ranks. He went right from the 15U championship team into the Elite last season and had 18 points. This year, he’s nearly doubled that already, with 30 points in 33 games.

Goaltender: Jacob Duff, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

Duff (‘07/Salisbury, N.B.) came to the Knights out of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U17’s Ontario Hockey Academy team, and enjoyed his best USPHL month yet. He registered a 3-1-0-0 record, stopping 109 saves on 117 shots with a 2.16 GAA. He also earned a .932 save percentage and one shutout for January, a 21-save gem against the Elmira Impact.

Top Performers Of The Week (Jan. 25-Jan. 31)

Forward: Bobby Trites, P.A.L. Jr Islanders – 2GP 5G 3A 8PTS

Defense: Owen Stewart, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights – 2GP 1G 2A 3PTS

Goaltender: Jacob Duff, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights – 2-0, 44 saves on 45 shots, 0.50 GAA, .978 save %

Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com

Forward: Josh Bruno, Northern Cyclones

During the month of January, Bruno (‘04/Glendora, Calif.) put up 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points. In so doing, he also made Cyclones history to hit the 110-point mark for his career and become the all-time leading scorer in Cyclones Elite history. His 19 points are just part of the 42 points he’s posted for this season over the 24 games he’s played. Bruno first started playing for the Cyclones in 2021-22 with their USPHL 18U team, where four other of his current teammates also played alongside Bruno that year.

Forward: Bogdan Guntypov, Islanders Hockey Club

Guntypov (‘06/Astana, Kazakhstan) got his team fired up all month by posting six goals and adding 11 assists for 17 points over eight games. Guntypov has jumped into the scoring lead for the IHC, who have been USPHL Nationals the last few seasons, and they’re hoping to make it back to Utica again this year. He has 48 points in 35 games, and he also got his first USPHL Premier call-up on Jan. 25.

Forward: Eamon Navin, Islanders Hockey Club

The ‘06 out of San Francisco, Calif., has been a great find for the Islanders. He joined the IHC out of the Golden State Eagles, a Tier II Nationals competitor last season, and recently provided a 2-13-15 line in eight January games as a rookie junior player. That also pulled him up to just shy of a point per game average for the season, as he has registered 35 points in 36 games so far. He is joined on the IHC by fellow former Golden State Eagle Luca Tartaglia.

Defense: Matthew Taylor, Northern Cyclones

Taylor (‘05/Wake Forest, N.C.) has been a regular on this list, as he never stops contributing on both ends for the Cyclones. Taylor has helped the Cyclones average just 2.00 goals against per game and 24.00 shots against per game, both good for second in the league among full-season teams. He also posted eight assists in eight games and lifted his season total to 40 points in 32 games. Like Bruno, he is another player who came up from the 18U Cyclones of 2022-23.

Defense: James Delaney, Springfield Pics

Delaney (‘05/Palmer, Mass.) is a lifelong Pic who just keeps developing in the right direction. Recently, he put up two goals and three assists for five points and he’s also the leading scorer among Pics defensemen with 19 points in 21 games. Delaney started out in the USPHL at the 15U level of the Springfield Pics, and then he went on to win the USPHL 16U American championship in 2020-21.

Goaltender: Jack Munini, Islanders Hockey Club

Munini (‘05/Reading, Mass.) joined the IHC out of Team Maryland and has been terrific in net, with a 4-1-0-0 record during January. He stopped 139 of 149 shots over 300 minutes of action for a .933 save percentage and a 2.00 GAA. He put up a shutout to start the month on Jan. 7 against the Boston Junior Bruins. He is 6-3-0-0 for the season with a .919 save percentage.

Top Performers Of The Week (Jan. 25-31)

Forward: Josh Bruno, Northern Cyclones – 3GP 5G 3A 8PTS

Defense: Matthew Taylor, Northern Cyclones – 2GP 0G 2A 2PTS

Goaltender: Nick Cowles, Northern Cyclones – 120 min. 2-0, 0.50 GAA, .978 save %, incl. 1 25-save shutout

USPHL Premier

In the Northwest, Vernal has locked up first round home ice. Rogue Valley has locked up fourth place in the division, setting the field of four for that division. Seattle can challenge Vernal for first, but not today. They are in good position to move past Casper in second, as the Totems are one point behind with six games in hand.

In the Pacific, Fresno secured home ice. Las Vegas can clinch a berth by gaining a point against Casper or by a win by Vernal over Bakersfield. Bakersfield’s magic number vs. Lake Tahoe is 3. Las Vegas’ magic number vs. Lake Tahoe is 1. A Lake Tahoe regulation loss today and a Bakersfield point would eliminate Lake Tahoe and lock in the field of four.

Ontario needs a win vs. Fresno to lock up home ice, or a regulation loss by Las Vegas, giving Ontario a magic number of 2.

In the Midwest West, the Hudson Havoc, Minnesota Squatch and Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings have first round home ice. Naming the fourth host is a future event. All Midwest West teams are idle today

USPHL Elite

Yesterday, Elmira lost to the Pics in a shootout and the Hitmen grabbed a point in OT vs. WBS. The Hitmen can lock up the final playoff berth today in the Atlantic with a win over the Rockets or a regulation Rangers loss at the Islanders Hockey Club. The magic number is 2.