Week of Feb. 11
Games of Feb. 1-7
Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
Florida Division
Forward: Zack Zammiello, Palm Beach Typhoon
The third-year USPHL veteran and local product Zammiello (‘05/Boca Raton, Fla.) was a huge offensive contributor for his team despite not being able to pick up a win against the Tampa Bay Juniors last week. The team scored six goals, and Zammiello had four of those. He has 27 points in 33 games this year and 46 points in 75 career Premier games.
Defense: Emil Grinsvall, Bold City Battalion
Grinsvall (‘04/Goteborg, Sweden) put up a pair of assists and blocked an outstanding 11 shots during the Battalion’s recent hard-fought series against the Florida Eels. Grinsvall has been a critical part of the Battalion’s first year success, as they stand tied for first in the Florida Division. He has 34 points in 37 games in this, his first North American season.
Goaltender: Tresor Wotton, Florida Eels
Wotton (‘03/Foxwarren, Man.) had the best performance of the week in the division by stopping 46 of the 47 shots he faced against Bold City when he got the starts on Feb. 2 and 4, including a 21-save shutout on Feb. 2, his first in the USPHL. Wotton came to the Eels with two years prior experience in the Tier II Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Southeast Division
Forward: Bryce Grandbois, Potomac Patriots
Grandbois (‘04/Detroit, Mich.) has been back and forth between the USPHL Premier and a couple of different Tier II leagues, but he was firmly entrenched in the Patriots’ lineup against Carolina to the point of posting a 2-3-5 line in two games. He was just recently signed in late January and he already had 13 points in four games.
Defense: Xavier Brooks, Charlotte Rush
Brooks (‘04/Scarbrough, Ont.) put up a goal and seven assists for eight points on the offensive side. Defensively, he was part of a defensive corps, along with goaltender Devin Stephens, that allowed only one goal by Hampton Roads over the three games. Brooks was the plus-minus leader for Charlotte in the series at +5. Brooks has 13 points in seven Premier games. He’s also played in eight NCDC games with the defending Dineen Cup Champion P.A.L. Jr. Islanders.
Goaltender: Devin Stephens, Charlotte Rush
Bethel University recruit Stephens (‘03/Trenton, Mich.) stopped 67 of the 68 shots he faced from Hampton Roads, giving up only one goal in playing all three games against Hampton Roads. The first two games of the series were 22-and 29-save consecutive shutouts, as well, giving him half of his four Premier career shutouts. He is 8-2-0-0 with a .943 save percentage this season and 17-3-0-1 with a .949 mark for his two-year career, which also has seen him play in 15 NCDC games.
