Week of Nov. 24, 2023
Games of Nov. 14-20, 2023
Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
New England Division
Forward: Mathis Tarani, College Universel Gatineau
Tarani (‘05/Terrebonne, Que.) registered five goals and four assists for nine points in just four games at the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase. Universel went 3-0-1-0 at the showcase, which included two decisive shutout victories. Tarani has scored 10 goals in his last eight games in a row, and he added six assists for 16 points in eight games, and he has 26 points in 23 games so far this year.
Defense: Mees Van Wingerden, Islanders Hockey Club
Van Wingerden (‘04/’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands) put up a goal and added five assists for six points in a 3-1 stand at their own hosted showcase. Over the four games, he blocked eight shots and posted a +10. Van Wingerden is a second-year Islander who has also played two in two World Junior Championships for his home country, in addition to a World Under-18 Championship.
Goaltender: Jean-Christophe Deslauriers, College Universel Gatineau
Deslauriers (‘05/Hawkesbury, Ont.) came out of the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase with a win and an overtime loss. During that 1-0-1-0 stretch, he stopped 62 out of 66 shots for a .939 save percentage and a 1.94 GAA. He is 4-4-1-0 on the season to this point.
Atlantic Division
Forward: Joona Juntunen, Connecticut Jr. Rangers
Juntunen (‘03/Hyvinkaa, Finland) was on fire yet again for the Rangers at the IHC Showcase. And when we say “yet again” it’s because he has only missed the scoresheet once this year – and he’s scored multiple points in 10 of his 12 outings. In the four at the showcase, he posted three goals and six assists for nine points. His current scoring streak has provided 8-18-26 over his past eight games.
Defense: Hunter Scanlon, Connecticut Jr. Rangers
Scanlon (‘03/Rockford, Ill.) hit six points over the four games at the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase, continuing to show why he’s one of the best all-around blueliners in the USPHL Premier. The third-year league veteran has 43 points in 22 games at the halfway point of the season, on pace to surpass even the already impressive 72 points he put up last year. He led the way through the showcase with 23:31, as well as leading with six blocks and his +9 led the defense.
Goaltender: Simon Johnson, Elmira Impact
Johnson (‘03/Omaha, Neb.) hit the ice and faced the three-time National Championships qualifier Toledo Cherokee – and 60 minutes of hockey later, he skated off with a huge win for the Impact. He stopped 28 of 29 Cherokee shots and improved to 3-3 with a .939 save percentage.
