Week of Feb. 24, 2024
Games of Feb. 14-21, 2024
Great Lakes Division
Forward: Caden Cavalieri, Buffalo Stampede
Cavalieri (‘04/Amherst, N.Y.) has doubled the points he posted in 2022-23 (18) after he registered three goals and six assists for nine points in two games recently against Cincinnati. Cavalieri thus pushed his way up to 36 points in 39 games for the season. Not surprisingly, he was tops in ice time for Stampede forwards at 19:49 per game.
Defense: Kaeden Wood, Buffalo Stampede
Wood (‘04/Deerfield, N.Y.) was a terrific pickup for the Stampede, coming on board in December for his new team. Along with posting a 1-3-4 line against Cincinnati last weekend, he led the Stampede with 20:28 in average ice time per game and also led with five blocked shots. He has eight points since being acquired from Utica. The former Whitesboro High School standout has nine points in 25 games for this full Premier season.
Goaltender: Caleb Kril, Toledo Cherokee
Kril (‘04/Dexter, Mich.) went toe-to-toe with the Battle Creek Kernels of the Midwest East Division and turned away 32 of 35 shots in an overtime victory on Feb. 16. He improved to an 11-5-2-0 record on the season.
Midwest East Division
Forward: Alexis Toussaint, Fort Wayne Spacemen
Toussaint (‘04/Varennes, Que.) was absolutely on fire for the Spacemen as he put up seven goals and seven assists for 14 points. In his last 10 games, Toussaint has put up 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in an ongoing scoring streak heading into Saturday’s games. He’s averaged almost one goal per game this year, with 40 goals and 44 assists for 84 points in 43 games.
Defense: Jake Knieling, Motor City Gamblers
Knieling (‘05/Arlington Heights, Ill.) registered a pair of goals and added four assists for six points, getting in on 66 percent of his team’s offense in a tough stretch against Fort Wayne and MJDP. He came out of the three losses with a +2 rating (which led the Gamblers defense) and his four blocked shots were second among Gamblers blueliners. A former St. Viator High School teammate of Angelo and Michael Massaro, Knieling now has 33 points in 41 games as a junior rookie.
Goaltender: William Ferland, Fort Wayne Spacemen
Toussaint’s former Ulysse Prep teammate Ferland (‘05/Mirabel, Que.) stopped 25 of 26 shots in a key victory against the Chicago Cougars which temporarily put them into a tie for first place in the Midwest East Division. He is on a seven-game winning streak that is part of an overall 13-1-0-0 record with a .913 save percentage.
Midwest West Division
Forward: Justus Harrison, Minnesota Moose
The fifth-year USPHL veteran, in his second Premier season, put up four goals and two assists for six points against the Minnesota Mullets and Steele County Blades, helping the Moose to wins in their quest to nail down a home ice spot for the upcoming playoffs. Harrison (‘04/Calgary, Alb.) led his team in three games in plus-minus at +5, he was the No. 1 Moose on faceoffs (33-of-55 for 64 percent) and his four blocked shots led Moose forwards. He pulled up to a point per game average with 37 points in 37 games.
Defense: Antoine Bonin, Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings
Bonin (‘05/Bromont, Que.) helped the Riverkings jump into first place in a very tight Midwest West battle for the top spot. He put up a goal and two assists in a pair of wins against the Midwest East’s Chicago Crush. He has improved to 13 points in 34 games for the Riverkings.
Goaltender: Jackson Clough, Minnesota Blue Ox
Clough (‘05/Andover, Minn.) had his second USPHL Premier shutout in a Feb. 16 8-0 win over the Isanti Outlaws. The former Andover High School teammate of fellow Blue Ox Tommy Babb improved to 3-2-0-0 with a .955 save percentage for the season.
