Day 3 of pool play at the 2026 USPHL Premier Nationals wrapped up on Friday, March 27, at the Ice Vault in Wayne, NJ. Twelve teams entered the day with hopes of advancing to the semifinal round on Saturday, March 28.
Following the final games of pool play, four teams remain: Vernal Oilers, Fresno Monsters, Northern Cyclones, and Hampton Roads Whalers.
Game Recaps:
Vernal Oilers 6, Minnesota Squatch 3
The defending champions closed out pool play in strong fashion, pulling away in the second and third periods for a 6-3 win. Brayden Boucher led the way with two goals, while Vernal’s depth showed with six different goalscorers. The Oilers’ offensive push proved too much despite Minnesota staying within reach early.
West Chester Wolves 2, Hawkesbury Knights 1
A tight, defensive matchup saw the Wolves edge Hawkesbury with a third-period game-winner from Tyler Corbett. Both teams traded goals in the second before West Chester found the difference late to secure the win.
Toledo Cherokee 5, Fort Wayne Spacemen 4
One of the most exciting games of the day, Toledo held off a strong push from Fort Wayne in a back-and-forth contest. Cameron Krause scored twice for the Cherokee, including a key third-period goal, while Reid Hyde tallied two for Fort Wayne in the loss.
Hampton Roads Whalers 6, Ontario Jr. Reign 0
Hampton Roads dominated from start to finish, posting a shutout victory behind a balanced attack. Emrik Holmlund and Tommaso Koenig each scored twice, while the Whalers controlled play throughout all three periods.
Fresno Monsters 4, Coral Springs Jr. Cats 3
Fresno held off a late push from Coral Springs to secure the win. Brian Erte scored twice to lead the Monsters, while Coral Springs closed the gap in the third but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Northern Cyclones 6, Metro Jets 1
The Northern Cyclones controlled this one from start to finish, scoring three in the first and never looking back in a 6-1 win over the Metro Jets. Giovanni Capraro and Dmitrii Novikov each scored twice, while Artem Borisov added a goal and two assists. Northern went 2-for-3 on the power play and outshot Metro 35-30 in the win.
Schedule:
Saturday, March 28 — Semifinals
4:15 PM, Rink 3: Hampton Roads Whalers vs Vernal Oilers
Semifinal #1
4:30 PM, Rink 2: Fresno Monsters vs. Northern Cyclones (H)
Semifinal #2
Sunday, March 29 — USPHL Premier National Championship
12:45 PM, Rink 3: Semifinal Winner vs. Semifinal Winner (H)
USPHL Premier National Championship Game
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