USPHL Elite Players Of The Month – February 2023: North Division

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com

Forwards 

Gabriel Leduc, Islanders Hockey Club 

A man on mission down the stretch, Leduc (‘04/Montreal, Que.) tore it up with nine goals in his final nine games of the season. And then he added 12 assists for good measure – and 21 points, the fourth best point total for any Elite player last month and the best in the North Division. A first-year junior player out of Quebec’s Ulysse Prep, Leduc has made a strong imprint on the Elite Conference with 58 points in 35 games. 

Matthew Domanchuk, Islanders Hockey Club 

The Islanders had the second most productive month of February in the Elite Conference by going 7-1-1-0 for 15 points in nine games. Like his teammate Gabriel Leduc, Domanchuk (‘04/Oklahoma City, Okla.) posted better than a goal-per-game all month by putting up a 10-7-17 line in eight contests. He ended up as one of the Islanders’ three players with 50 points or better this year, a highlight for the league’s second best offense. 

Nicholas Stevens, Northern Cyclones

The Cyclones are already headed to the USPHL Nationals thanks to a 2-0 playoff sweep of the Springfield Pics. Towards the end of the regular season, Stevens (‘03/San Clemente, Calif.) was absolutely on fire as he posted 11 goals and helped out on four others for a 15-point total in 10 February games. With that outburst, he brought his points per game to an even 1.00 to close the campaign with 43 points in 43 games. 

Defense

Nicolas Majeau, Islanders Hockey Club

Majeau (‘03/St-Lin, Que.) came to the IHC with his Ulysse Prep teammate Leduc – as well as Joshua Huard and Felix Hawkins – and has experienced a similar level of success but on the blue line as defense. He put up 1-8-9 totals during the month of February to bring his season total up to 22 points in 37 games. Majeau has helped the IHC give up just 29.19 shots per game, fourth fewest in the league. 

Brady Bomal, Northern Cyclones

The second-year Cyclones blueliner continues to be a leader and hopes to bring the Cyclones back to the National final this year – and cashing in on unfinished business from 2022. Bomal put up the same total as Majeau this past month to tie for the lead for North Division defensemen at 1-8-9 in nine games. The Cyclones were second in both team defense (2.02) and fewest shots against (27.02). 

Goaltender

Chase Ebeyer, Springfield Pics

Ebeyer (‘04/Scottsdale, Ariz.) and the Pics took 10 points in their final month, and the goaltender finished up with a 2-2-0-0 record and a .926 save percentage in playing 284 minutes. He gave up 15 shots out of the 204 he faced, including a 26-of-27 performance against the Junior Bruins and 29 of 31 against the Aviators, both wins. Even in losses, he was strong – witness him stopping 41 of 44 in a relief spot against the Islanders Hockey Club, and 47 of 50 against the Cyclones on Feb. 11.