Summaries by Miles Regan
Forward
Noah Maine, Fort Wayne Spacemen
Fourth Player of the Month selection for the ‘02 center from Knoxville, Tennessee. Maine scored 11 (5-6–11) points over the course of eight games played in January. The Midwest East’s leading scorer’s best stretch of the month came during the Don Kidd Memorial Games from Jan. 13-15. Maine scored two goals and added three assists in two wins against the Chicago Crush before tacking on an additional score and helper in a 7-5 victory against the Chicago Cougars on Jan. 15. The second-year Spacemen’s January performance helped Fort Wayne maintain first place in the Midwest East, and his assist to help send a Jan. 29 shootout loss against MJDP to overtime may prove to be his most important point of the season.
Logan Robins, Fort Wayne Spacemen
Fort Wayne’s captain earned Player of the Month honors thanks to an 11-point (6-5–11) January campaign. Robins, an ‘02 who grew up in Fort Wayne, had three multi-point games during the month, and totaled six (3-3–6) points during the Don Kidd Memorial Games on Jan. 13-14, helping Fort Wayne secure two big wins against the Chicago Crush. The fourth year USPHLer also played well at the Tampa Showcase from Jan. 5-7, recording four (3-1–4) points in three games. Robins’ versatility is what keeps Fort Wayne’s offense humming. He has recorded a very balanced 81 goals and 82 assists across 157 career USPHL games.
Gerdas Paulaskas, Chicago Cougars
First Player of the Month nod for the former Naperville Sabre. Paulaskas, an ‘04 from Lisle, Ill., recorded an impressive 14 (6-8–14) points during across 10 January games. The righty winger found the back of the net just once in Chicago’s first four games of the calendar year but got quite hot mid-month , amassing 13 points in the Cougars’ last six matchups. Three point efforts at Fort Wayne (0-3–3) on Jan. 15 and at Battle Creek (2-1–3) on Jan. 21 prove just how significant the second-year Cougar’s play is to the team’s success. With the playoffs on the horizon, both Paulaskas and the Green and Yellow seem to be heating up at just the right time.
Defense
Jake Mullins, Motor City Gamblers
Mullins scored the most points of any Midwest East player during the month of January. The ‘03 Clawson, Mich., native recorded 17 points (8-9–17) in just six games… good for a ridiculous average of 2.83 points-per-game. All 17 of Mullins’ points came during an eight day stretch that began with a two goal, two assist effort against Decatur on Jan. 20. Mullins followed up said performance by scoring a hat trick and adding two helpers the following day against the Blaze before tallying a goal and an assist in a 7-2 win over MJDP on 1/25. A six point (2-4–6) two game series against the Chicago Crush helped Motor City extend their win streak to five straight tilts. The second-year USPHLer’s 53 points (20-33–53) are third-most of any Premier defenseman this season.
Aidan Canady, Motor City Gamblers
Canady finished second by a mere two points to his defensive partner, Jake Mullins, on the Midwest East scoring leaderboard in January. He totaled 15 points (5-10–15) across six games, scoring at least a point in each. The ‘03 from Schaumburg, Ill., has scored multiple points in five straight games including a season-high four point (1-3–4) outing against Decatur on 1/20. Canady added another three assists against the Blaze on Jan. 21, before scoring a goal and an assist in a 7-2 win over MJDP that may hold big playoff iimplications in a few weeks. He wrapped up January with a five point (3-2–5) weekend at the Chicago Crush, helping Motor City pick up an additional pair of wins. Motor City’s rookie blueliner is currently second in points scored (14-41–55) among all Premier defenseman.
Goaltender
Taylor White, Metro Jets Development Program
MJDP’s backstop was the best Midwest East goaltender in January. White, an ‘03
hailing from Bay City, Mich., made five appearances during the month and was scored
on just six times. He posted a 4-0-0-1 record over said appearances and stopped an
incredible 126 of 132 (.955 sv%) shots faced. His 1.16 January GAA becomes even more
impressive when you consider that three of White’s starts required an extra frame. He
stopped 23 of 25 Chicago Crush shots in a Jets overtime victory on 1/22 and 35 of 38
plus five of six shootout attempts in a 4-3 win against Fort Wayne on 1/29. White
averaged 62 minutes per appearance during the month.
Additionally, White earned two #ShutoutShoutouts in January. He made 14 saves
during a victory at Decatur on 1/14 and stopped all 15 shots faced against Cincinnati at
the Tampa Showcase on 1/07. White’s currently tied for the league lead in shutouts with
five, and his season GAA of 1.67 is best among all qualified Premier goaltenders.
