Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com
Forward: John Crowdell, Rockets Hockey Club
The 2003-born native of Staten Island, N.Y., just keeps dropping jaws around the Elite Conference with his offensive prowess, one that should see him take the top spot in points all time in the league in short order. After posting 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in six games in December, he is now second all-time in USPHL Elite scoring with 159 points, behind only former Rocket Deven Ralph (176 points). He has another active challenger in Potomac’s Liam Hanna, holding 158 points. Crowdell’s 2.27 points per game is No. 1 all-time among players with more than 50 career games.
Forward: Jace Lombardo, Rockets Hockey Club
Crowdell and Lombardo (‘05/Staten Island, N.Y.) are both products of Monsignor Farrell High School and have provided multiple seasons worth of shots in the arm to the Rockets. He matched exactly the points per game that Crowdell put up in December at 3.00, thanks to eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in six games. Lombardo has never missed scoring in a game this season, in which he has 70 points in 26 games, and put in a 5-2-7 performance on Dec. 17 against Elmira to close his 2023 production.
Forward: Justin Morrissey, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
In just one season, Morrissey (‘06/Patchogue, N.Y.) has already climbed to second all-time for the Premier Elite team in their record books and, with 57 points, already has their best single season points total. He is only 17 points back of the team’s all-time leader who had played 88 games – and Morrissey has collected his 57 points in just 28 contests. For December, he put up seven goals and four assists for 11 points in six games.
Defense: Peter Allen, P.A.L. Jr. Islanders
Allen (‘06/Oceanside, N.Y.) is just one spot behind Morrisey for third all-time on the P.A.L. scoring list, with 44 career points in 65 games. He continues to be an offensively-gifted blueliner for the Jr. Islanders as they turn the corner into 2024 one point behind the division-leading Rockets Hockey Club. He put up three goals and four assists for seven points during the month of December. He closed the month with a 1-2-3 line against the WBS Knights.
Defense: Eric Kois, Jersey Hitmen
The Hitmen are slowly climbing the Atlantic Division standings, thanks to a run of 6-4 in their last 10 games. During January, they played in eight contests, going 4-4. Kois (‘05/East Fishkill, N.Y.) put up a goal and four assists for five points in the six games he played in December. He also registered an assist in one of his three Premier games played with Jersey in December. Kois is a third-year Hitmen player with 71 games of Elite and 24 games of Premier experience going back to 2021-22.
Goaltender: Tony Macaluso, Rockets Hockey Club
Macaluso (‘03/Monmouth Beach, N.J.) was in net for three games during the month of December and never took a loss in regulation or overtime, going 2-0-0-1. During that time, he stopped 66 of 71 shots for a .930 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average. He improved to 5-3-0-1 for the season with a .918 save percentage.
Selection Process: The league media office sends top candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.
