Hampton Roads Whalers USPHL Southeast Showcase Begins Thursday

by Joshua Boyd

September 20, 2022

The first event on the always exciting and comprehensive USPHL Showcase Series schedule will begin this Thursday, Sept. 22, when the puck drops for the USPHL Southeast Showcase in Chesapeake, Va. All games will be played at Chilled Ponds Ice Sports Complex, home of the Hampton Roads Whalers (and previously site of the 2021 USPHL […]

Metro Jets Hockey Club And Fort Wayne Spacemen Come Together For Jets Braydin Lewis

by Joshua Boyd

August 31, 2022

Fort Wayne Komets Hold Alumni Game To Benefit Jets Defenseman Fighting Cancer Braydin Lewis, a Metro Jets player and Fort Wayne, Ind., native, is battling the unthinkable. Lewis was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that affects the brain. Lewis underwent emergency surgery on June 2 to remove a malignant brain […]

USPHL Florida College Showcase Returns To Estero’s Hertz Arena Dec. 16-19

by Joshua Boyd

December 16, 2022December 16, 2022

The USPHL and the Florida Jr. Blades are excited to present the annual USPHL Florida College Showcase, hosted for the second straight season at the multi-sheet Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. The showcase kicks off on Friday, Dec. 16, and concludes on Monday, Dec. 19. The Florida College Showcase will feature all 12 organizations playing […]

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.

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 points in six games, over which the Rush went 4-1-1-0. That 2.33 points per game average was among the best in all of the USPHL Elite. The second-year Rush veteran has again eclipsed the 40-point mark and now has 41 points in 22 games for the season. His +9 rating for January led all Rush forwards.

Forward: Spencer Barrow, Charlotte Rush

Barrow (‘04/Massapequa, N.Y.) was just behind Tsatsoulis in points per game, averaging 2.33 by putting up six goals and eight assists for 14 points. The Rush are rich in experience, with second-year players like Barrow continuing to produce at a high clip. Like Tsatsoulis, Barrow hit the 40-point mark for a second straight season and now has 88 points in 61 Elite games. Also, like Tsatsoulis, Barrow tied for the team lead among forwards in plus-minus with a +9.

Forward: Charles Norris, Charlotte Rush

Norris (‘06/Weddington, N.C.) continues to be a rising force among the younger set of Rush players, as he put up six goals and six assists for 12 points during the Rush’s six games of January, becoming the third forward on the team to register at least two points per game. The former Rush youth hockey player put up seven hits, so he certainly wasn’t shy either. In addition to putting up 38 points in 23 games, and he also had one assist in his 11 games of USPHL Premier play this year.

Defense: Kirill Golubev, Potomac Patriots

The ‘07 Russian had himself a huge month, with one goal in particular standing out. Golubev was selected to play in the NCDC’s Young Guns game and actually opened the scoring in that contest on the NCAA Division I ice of Boston University on Jan. 15. Around that big event, Golubev also put up two goals and added six assists for eight points in six games (1.33 points per game average). He was also +6 to lead the Patriots.

Defense: Ryan Bonfrancesco, Charlotte Rush

Bonfrancesco (‘05/Hellertown, Pa.) put up a goal and five assists for six points in six games, and he also was the highest ice time earner for the Rush, skating for an average of 22:00 per game. Bonfrancesco is a first-year Elite player out of the Valley Forge Minutemen AAA program who has racked up 17 points in 25 games. He’s also earned four games up with the USPHL Premier team.

Goaltender: Ryan Kalina, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes

Kalina (‘05/Raleigh, N.C.) is a product of the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes youth program similar to how Norris came out of the Rush youth program. He skated into the Jr. Canes net four times and four times skated out with a victory, going 4-0 with 111 saves on 117 shots for .949 save percentage. He has a goals against average of 1.49 GAA. For the season, he has a 12-1-0-0 record and a .932 save percentage as a junior rookie.

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 USPHL Premier and Elite’s New England and Atlantic Divisions will be joined by select teams from the Midwest East and Great Lakes Divisions on the Premier side; and the Midwest Elite and North American Prep Hockey League teams on the Elite schedule.

A total of 26 teams – 13 from the USPHL Premier and 13 from the USPHL Elite – will be competing at the Northern Cyclones Showcase.

The showcase will provide great drama as teams will be either pushing to clinch playoff berths or, for those who’ve already clinched, they will be solidifying playoff positioning for when the postseason kicks off in early March. For the most part, the games at the Northern Cyclones Showcase will be the last cross-divisional games until the start of the USPHL National Championships in Utica, N.Y., which will run March 21-26. A few key match-ups featuring recent Nationals competitors will take place at the Cyclones Showcase. College scouts and hockey fans won’t want to miss games such as the Metro Jets vs. Northern Cyclones or the Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP) vs. Islanders Hockey Club on the Premier side, or the Northern Cyclones vs. Rockets Hockey Club on the Elite side.

Full USPHL Premier Northern Cyclones Showcase Schedule

Full USPHL Elite Northern Cyclones Showcase Schedule

The Northern Cyclones Showcase will feature hospitality for visiting college scouts, and there is no fee for college scouts to attend the event. For those who cannot attend to see our fantastic student-athletes in person, we hope you will watch on FloHockey.tv, where all of the games will be broadcast throughout the event. We look forward to seeing you at the 2024 Northern Cyclones Showcase.

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 clinched in their respective divisions yesterday. With Tampa clinching, all four Florida Division berths have been claimed.

The Dells Ducks, Isanti Outlaws and Minnesota Mullets are still grappling for the last two berths in the Midwest West. All are idle today.

The Rogue Valley Royals are on the verge of eliminating Bellingham next weekend with a magic number of 2 (any combination of two points for Rogue Valley or two points lost by Bellingham). They are idle until Feb. 9, but could still clinch with a Seattle win over Bellingham in regulation next weekend.

USPHL Elite

The Rockets Hockey Club and WBS Knights have both clinched a berth in the Atlantic Division. It’s a three-team scramble among the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, Jersey Hitmen and Elmira Impact for the fourth and final slot. The Hitmen are in the fourth place position currently. All 3 are idle today.

Similarly in Florida, the Florida Jr. Blades, Palm Beach Typhoon and Bold City Battalion are vying for the fourth and final spot. The Blades are leading at the third quarter pole but the race is still tight. They host Atlanta today while Palm Beach visits the Eels. Neither game will decide anything today.

In the other divisions, all teams have either clinched or been eliminated. Now it’s a question of who gets home ice in March and against which opponent – and none of that will be answered today.

By USPHL Staff

USPHL Premier

Tampa Bay holds the head-to-head over the Florida Jr. Blades. They need to pick up a point today against Bold City or see the Blades lose to Atlanta to clinch the final spot in the Florida Division.

Steele County clinched a playoff spot Friday. This leaves the Dells Ducks, Isanti Outlaws and Minnesota Mullets grappling for the last two berths. It will be a while before we know the outcome.

The Hudson Havoc have secured home ice in the first round of the Midwest West Division playoffs, and the Connecticut Jr. Rangers have clinched home ice in the Atlantic Division.

The Fresno Monsters and Ontario Jr. Reign both clinched playoff berths in the Pacific yesterday.

In the Midwest East, the idle Gamblers can clinch today with a Fort Wayne victory over Decatur.

USPHL Elite

If the WBS Knights pick up a point vs. Elmira or if the Connecticut Jr. Rangers lose to the Northern Cyclones, the WBS Knights will clinch a berth.

Ditto for the Rockets: if they win at home today over P.A.L. or if Connecticut loses to the Cyclones in regulation, the Rockets will clinch a playoff berth.

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 line for his best single game performance of the season. Including his Jan. 26 output, he’s currently on a six-game, eight-goal goal-scoring streak. For the season, he has 50 points in 31 games.

Defense: Jack Squire, Motor City Gamblers

Squire (‘06/Livonia, Mich.) registered a goal and tacked on seven more assists for eight points in three games, as he was up with the Premier Gamblers for their Jan. 20 game against Decatur. Squire has been a defensive and offensive dynamo since Day 1 for the first-year Gamblers Elite squad, posting 35 points in 30 games this season.

Goaltender: Ilan Walny, Chicago Crush

Walny (‘06/Bayside, Wis.) was outstanding as he turned away 29 of 30 shots against the Fort Wayne Spacemen, helping his team push up the Midwest Elite standings to a current second place position. Walny is on a three-game winning streak and only lost his first game this season in regulation, going 6-1-0-1 for the season so far with a .925 save percentage.