Selection Process: The league media office sends top statistical candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.
Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
Forward: Carson Galin, Charlotte Rush
Galin, a recent NCAA commit to Stevenson University, was heroic for the Charlotte Rush as he put up 10 points for his team during the month of January. This included a huge five-point effort against the division-leading Potomac Patriots on Jan. 20, part of a sweep weekend for the Rush as the two teams battle for the top spot in the Southeast, with the Rush just five points back. Galin, a second-year Rush and an ‘03 from Novi, Mich., has already more than doubled his points output of 17 in 2022-23, by standing with 35 points here in 2023-24.
Forward: Matsvei Marshchanok, Potomac Patriots
A run of nine points in six games helped Matsvei Marshchanok become the second in his family – and the second in his family born on April 11, 2005 – to crack the career 100-point mark in the USPHL Premier. He now has 102 points in 52 games since joining the league last season. Along with putting up three goals and six assists for nine points, he also threw his weight around for a team-leading 10 hits in January.
Forward: Siamion Marshchanok, Potomac Patriots
Siamion Marshchanok became the first Premier player this season to cross 100 points for 2023-24, doing so on Jan. 28 as part of a five-point effort and he currently stands at 102 points going into February. This was part of his 3-6-9 performance for the duration of January, giving him exactly the same points for the month as his twin brother. He now has 123 points in 52 games for a career 1.23 points per game average. In the faceoff dot, he’s clicking for a 62 percent success rate, winning 78-of-125.
Defense: William Olund, Potomac Patriots
Olund (‘03/Pitea, Sweden) put together a strong month in January by posting seven assists for a 1.17 points per game average, while also leading his team in average ice time per game at 22:21. Olund has registered a total of 32 points in 33 games this year for Potomac. He is a product of his hometown Pitea Hockey Club, where he also played with current Patriots teammate Axel Jaldeby.
Defense: Peter Keese, Charlotte Rush
Keese (‘03/Minnetonka, Minn.) recently tied for the all-time leader in USPHL Premier regular season games played and, when you count another 29 playoff games in his career – including three Nationals trips – no one besides the Albertus Magnus College NCAA recruit Keese has played in more than 200 USPHL Premier games. He has 202 to be exact. But this monthly recognition is not about career numbers, it’s about what he did in January 2024, which was to post four goals and three assists for seven points in six games. This included the GWG in a close 3-2 win at the USPHL Tampa Showcase against the WBS Knights, another regular participant of the past two USPHL Nationals. Keese has 38 points in 32 games this season and 108 points in 173 regular season games for his career.
Goaltender: Andris Zalmanis, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Zalmanis (‘04/Riga, Latvia) has helped the Jr. Canes to be right in the mix of pushing for a Southeast Division title, and they’ve already long since clinched their playoff berth in that division. During the month of January, the first-year North American player Zalmanis posted a record of 2-1-1-0 in his 246 minutes. He stopped 89 of the 97 shots he faced for a division-best .918 save percentage among goalies who played at least 180 minutes last month, including a 19-save shutout of USPHL Nationals staple the Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP) at the USPHL Tampa Showcase.
Top Performers Of The Week (Jan. 24-31):
Forward: Bryce Grandbois, Potomac Patriots – 2GP 5G 3A 8PTS
Defense: Cooper James, Potomac Patriots – 2GP 0G 3A 3PTS
Goaltender: Josh Kirton, Potomac Patriots 1-0, 22-save shutout
