Week of Jan. 12, 2024
Games of Jan. 1-9, 2024
Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLElite.com
Florida Division
Forward: Fynn O’Neill, Florida Eels
The Eels went 3-0-1 last week at the USPHL Tampa Showcase, and O’Neill was their leader in so many ways, from offense – he led with three goals and three assists for six points – to defense, as he co-led the team with a +10. He also blocked a shot along the way. O’Neill helped the Eels clinch a playoff spot. The ‘03 from Calgary has 32 points in 31 games.
Defense: Jacob Munkwitz, Tampa Bay Juniors
Munkwitz (‘04/Smithtown, N.Y.) certainly felt right at home during the showcase last week, as shown by his standup performances to help his team go 3-1 and earn the first playoff berth in the Elite’s Florida Division. He held a +2 rating to go with his goal and three assists, all of which were scored in a win against the Metro Jets, the leading team in the Midwest Division. He now has 23 points in 26 games. Munkwitz is in his third season with the Juniors.
Goaltender: Christian Amato, Atlanta MadHatters
Amato (‘05/Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) first showed up during the USPHL Tampa Showcase in a relief effort, stopping all 10 shots he faced in 20:46. Later that day, Amato stopped all 32 shots he faced against the Metro Jets for his third shutout of the season. Overall, he is 7-5-00-0 with a 1.96 goals against average of .937 save percentage.
Southeast Division
Forward: Spencer Barrow, Charlotte Rush
Barrow (‘04/Massapequa, N.Y.) was everywhere at once for the Rush, who went 4-0 at the Showcase and are just four points out of second place in the Southeast Division. He had five goals and seven assists for 12 points in Tampa. He had four straight multi-point games, including three goals and one assist for four points against the Bold City Battalion as his showcase high. He has 38 points in 20 games this year, and 86 points in 59 career Elite games.
Defense: Chris Cuddy, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Cuddy, an ‘05 from Cameron, N.C., has essentially played his whole career for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes organization. He is in his second season with the Elite team and has already pushed well past the nine points he put up last year, with 15 points currently this year. He scored three goals at the showcase, including two in a big match-up between the defending National Champion Jr. Canes and fellow Nationals competitors the Tampa Bay Juniors. He also scored against the Atlantic Division-leading Rockets Hockey Club, and helped the Jr. Canes get a shutout in that game.
Goaltender: Nicholas Grosso, Charlotte Rush
Grosso (‘05/Alverne, N.Y.) slammed the door shut against the Bold City Battalion when he stopped all 42 shots in that second game for the Rush on Jan. 4. It was a huge performance in Grosso’s third game since October, and helped push his record to 8-2-1-1.
