(Summaries By Patrick Ramsdale)
Forwards
Nathan Garau, Elmira Jr. Enforcers
Garau (‘05/Bolzano, Italy) is putting on quite the impressive performance in his rookie season in the USPHL and debut season in North America, as well.
He has posted 25 points in 12 games for the Jr. Enforcers to start the season. Garau is 19th in the league in points per game at 2.08. He is also the only rookie in the top 10 in goals, currently tied for seventh in the USPHL.
J.D. Speer, Utica Jr. Comets
Speer (‘02/Hamilton, N.Y.) has been a key piece in the Comets 8-3-1 start to the season. He has posted 20 points in 12 games this year. The four-year veteran has played exceptionally well during his last six games, as he is on a six-game goal streak. He has posted 14 points during that span (7g-7a-14p).
Speer is fifth all-time in games played for the Jr. Comets with 102, while his 92 points are obviously just eight points away from hitting the century mark. A big season could easily see him standing at the top of both categories by year’s end.
Justin Ryan, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
Ryan (‘03/Endwell, N.Y.) is off to an incredible start to his sophomore campaign in the USPHL.
He has post 23 points in 16 games for the fifth place Knights. Ryan currently sits tied for 12 th in
the USPHL in goals with 14. He has registered multi-point games seven times already this
season.
Ryan put up a big 29 points in 40 games last year and was instrumental in the WBS Knights’ regular season championship and run to the National Semifinals.
Defensemen
Max Toomey, Rockets Hockey Club
Toomey (‘04/New Providence, N.J.) is operating at nearly a point per game pace this season on the blueline. He posted nine assists through 10 games this season, including a four-game stretch with four assists. Toomey has also posted a plus-minus of +7 through October this season.
Toomey is in his fourth year with the Rockets program, having started with the Rockets 16U team as well as being a two-time Elite All-Star. A great example of #USPHLAdvancement In Ation, he is proving his worth in his first stint in the Premier.
Connor Santay, Utica Jr. Comets
Santay (‘04/Baldwinsville, N.Y.) is off to a hot start in his first year in the USPHL. He currently ranks eighth among all defensemen in scoring with 17 points in 12 games. Santay has posted six multi-point games this season, including a three-goal, two-assist performance against the Hershey Cubs.
Santay leads the way for the Jr. Comets with 22:21 of ice time, and with 68 takeaways.
Goaltender
Ryuto Nakamoto, Connecticut Jr. Rangers
Nakamoto (‘04/Nikko, Japan) has been a brick wall in net for the Connecticut Jr. Rangers. The rookie has stopped 131-of-135 faced this season. He ranks second in the league in both goals against average (0.98) and save percentage (0.970).
Nakamoto is undefeated in regulation having posted a 3-0-1-0 record with two shutouts. His first came on Sept. 30 at the BJB Shootout in his USPHL debut, stopping all 27 Springfield Pics shots. He followed that up Oct. 28 with a 29-save shutout of the Jersey Hitmen.
