September and October games taken into statistical account
Forward: Filip Tomiczek, Elmira Impact
Tomiczek (‘04/Trinec, Czechia) joined Elmira briefly in 2022-23, but as a regular member now in 2023-24, he has absolutely taken off into the ionosphere, picking up 12 goals and adding 11 assists for 23 points in 12 games, good for a 1.92 points per game average. His high point was posting a 3-3-6 line against the Brooklyn Aviators in the closing game of the Hitmen Classic on Oct. 9.
Forward: Zackary Chouinard, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
Chouinard (‘04/Trois-Rivieres, Que.) is right there with Tomiczek in terms of putting up 12 goals so far this year, to which he has added 12 assists for 24 points and 1.71 points per game in 14 games. Chouinard missed the scoresheet only once this season going into the month of November.
Forward: Bogdan Stepanchuk, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
Stepanchuk (‘05/Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan) is another goal-per-game guy like his fellow countryman Tomiczek, as Stepanchuk has lived much of his life in Czechia. Stepanchuk put up 12 goals in his first 12 games, and he’s added eight assists so far for 20 points. He has scored points in every game and has scored goals in nine of his 12 games.
Defense: Hunter Scanlon, Connecticut Jr. Rangers
With 131 points in 97 career Premier games, Scanlon is third all-time in scoring by a defenseman. The ‘03 from Rockford, Ill., will likely just keep on climbing that list even with his new team this year. As a Jr. Ranger, he has posted eight goals and added 13 assists for 21 points. He has registered three points or four points a total of four times already this season. He leads the team with a +23 rating, he has also blocked 22 shots and he leads his team in both power play and shorthanded time on ice.
Defense: Markus Andrews, Connecticut Jr. Rangers
Andrews (‘03/Stockholm, Sweden) made a name for himself in the Premier last year and this year has been jamming that name down the gullets of the opposition, putting up a goal and 18 assists for 19 points through 13 games. He leads the Jr. Rangers in average ice time per game at 25:35 and leads Rangers D-men in hits with nine.
Goaltender: Adrian Lamp, Connecticut Jr. Rangers
Lamp (‘05/Wien, Austria) has landed like an anvil on the opposition offenses of the USPHL Premier. In his first 12 games of the year, Lamp put up a 10-2-0-0, giving him the league lead in wins, while he’s also put up a 1.67 GAA and a .940 save percentage. He was tied for the league lead in shutouts as well with three blankings, including a season-best 21-save doughnut against the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings at the Hitmen Classic in Wayne, N.J.
Method of selection: The USPHL Media Team shares a first set of nominees from among statistical leaders with division coaches and accepts alternate nominations from coaches, where applicable. From these, the USPHL Media Team selects the final “starting lineup.”
Top Performers Of The Week (Oct. 24-31):
Forward: Tomas Smetanka, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders – Smetanka put up four goals and four assists for eight points in the space of just two games to close out the month.
Defense: Ethan Tatomir, Jersey Hitmen – Tatomir registered a pair of goals and racked up six assists for eight points over three games.
Goaltender: Cyrille Vaillancourt, Jersey Hitmen – Vaillancourt stared down 30 shots and gave up just one in a big win against Brooklyn. He also stopped all 13 shots he faced in a relief spot against the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders one day later.
