Week of Oct. 16, 2024
Games of Oct. 8-14, 2024
Midwest Division
Forward: Alexander Musyakevych, Chicago Cougars
Second-year Cougar Musyakevych (‘05/Wilmett, Ill.) scored a goal in each of three games against Decatur, the Chicago Crush and the MJDP and also added an assist for four points. He has scored in each game so far this year, and has eight points, already half of his points output in 42 games last season.
Defense: Isaac Mansfield, Motor City Gamblers
Mansfield, an ‘04 who just joined this past weekend, registered a goal and an assist in his first two USPHL games against the Battle Creek Kernels. Mansfield joined the Gamblers from the EHL Premier.
Goaltender: Cameron Boville, Chicago Cougars
Boville (‘06/Sault St. Marie, Ont.) rebounded from starting in an earlier loss where he made 18 saves on 22 shots by putting up a 31-save shutout victory on Monday against the MJDP. Boville is a second-year Cougar.
Great Lakes Division
Forward: Zachary Wolf, Battle Creek Kernels
Third-year USPHL Premier veteran Zachary Wolf (‘05/Plainfield, Ill.) posted four goals, including an Oct. 12 hat trick, to improve to 7-1-8 on the season in nine games so far. He has played in 79 USPHL Premier regular season games to date.
Defense: Alexander Brown, Columbus Mavericks
Brown (‘05/Erie, Pa.) registered a goal and added three assists to help the Mavericks pick up two recent wins against the Fresh Coast Freeze. He has improved to a line of 4-6-10 in nine games, which has already surpassed his 2023-24 output.
Goaltender: Austin Muirhead, Metro Jets
Muirhead (‘04/Novi, Mich.) stopped all 24 shots he faced from the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones on Oct. 12, which saw him improve to 10 shutouts. That tied him with four other goalies for the all-time lead in shutouts.
North Division
Forward: Lukas Plank, Minnesota Squatch
Plank (‘05/Bolzano, Italy) joined the Squatch as a first-year junior out of the CIHA Voyageurs program this year, and has jumped out to a 4-6-10 line this year, thanks in large part to a 4-4-8 line this past week. On Oct. 11 against Hudson, he scored his first hat trick and then posted a 1-4-5 line on Oct. 12 against Steele County.
Defense: Dante Zaffarano, Dells Ducks
Over three games, during which the Ducks went 2-1, second-year Premier veteran Zaffarano (‘06/Royal Oak, Mich.) put up two goals and two assists, including a three-point effort in their first of two wins against the Isanti Outlaws. He currently holds a 2-6-8 line in seven games.
Goaltender: Patrick O’Gara, Dells Ducks
Out of St. Viator High School in Illinois, O’Gara (‘05/Chicago, Ill.) made his junior debut on Oct. 12 against Isanti and stopped all 26 shots he faced for his first career win and shutout in his first career start.
Selection Process: Divisional statistical leaders are presented to coaches, who are able to nominate and vote on alternate candidates.
Summaries by Joshua Boyd