By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
There has been some shuffling in different divisions’ standings coming out of one of the largest showcases of the entire season, the Jersey Hitmen Classic. After checking in last on Oct. 17, the Canada and Atlantic Divisions have new leaders. Elsewhere over the past week, the Florida Division saw the Florida Eels sweep to their third Florida Cup championship, claiming the top prize from the in-season tournament.
Let’s get right into looking at the most successful teams between Oct. 17-24 across the five easternmost divisions, digging in on teams with at least as many points as games played in that stretch.
Southeast Division
Hampton Roads Whalers Sweep Hitmen Classic
The Whalers jumped from fourth in the Southeast to second coming off their impressive four-game winning streak at the USPHL Jersey Hitmen Classic. They faced two brand new USPHL Premier teams for the first time, defeating Universel Sherbrooke 5-1 on Oct. 19 and the Red Bank Generals, 2-1. They avenged a 6-3 loss to the National Champion Connecticut Jr. Rangers at last year’s 2023 BJB Shootout by defeating the defending champs 4-1 on Oct. 20. They closed with a 2-1 victory over the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders in a shootout.
- This was the second time in three years that the Whalers have swept a four-game showcase run, and both have come in New Jersey. In 2022-23, they went 4-0 at the Rockets Hockey Club Showcase.
- Timo Johner (‘05/Brutten, Switzerland) became the fourth Premier goaltender this year to win two shootouts.
Charlotte Rush Go 3-0-1-0, Remain Undefeated In Regulation Through 16 Games
The Rush entered New Jersey in first place and left the same way. Their introduction to the Hitmen Classic wasn’t the sweetest, as they took a 4-3 overtime loss to the Mercer Chiefs on Oct. 17. They shook that off as they won three more wins against the West Chester Wolves (3-1), Somang Hockey (6-2) and College Universel Gatineau (2-0).
- The Rush are leading the league with their lowest points total since going 9-5-1-1 in 2021-22. The 2023-24 season saw their best start at the same milepost, at 16-0.
- Evan Crawford (‘04/Greenwich, Conn.) registered his second shutout of the season on Oct. 19, giving him a tie for the league in that category, joining Timo Johner in that respect.
Potomac Patriots Go 3-1-0-0 In New Jersey, Stand Third In Division
The Patriots fared well in their trip to New Jersey, although with a single loss. They started their run with a 3-2 victory against the Canada Division-leading Hawkesbury Knights – their third OT game in a row, on Oct. 19. From there, they defeated the Mercer Chiefs, 6-3, on Oct. 20, but later that day they fell to the defending National Champion Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 7-2. They closed on Oct. 21 with a 5-2 win against the Jersey Hitmen.
- Yovanni Flores (‘04/Los Angeles, Calif.) has six power play goals in his last six games, and 12 goals overall for the season. With two PPG’s at the Hitmen Classic, Flores now leads all Premier players with six power play goals.
- Kirill Guryev (‘06/Moskva, Russia) has won four in a row – including three straight in the Classic – to climb into a tie for third in league wins with six this year.
New England Division
Boston Junior Bruins Go 3-0 At Hitmen Classic, Add Win Back Home
The Junior Bruins played three games at the Hitmen Classic (due to a cancellation by a different team), but they took care of business in each of those, going 3-0 at the event. They tacked on one more game against the Thunder Hockey Club back at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, and got the win there as well, defeating the Thunder 5-4. In New Jersey, they defeated Somang Hockey (6-3, avenging a shootout loss at the BJB Shootout); the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings (3-2); and the Red Bank Generals, 4-3.
- The 4-0 run for the Junior Bruins is their best in a couple seasons, as they won three in a row in 2023-24. They’re still well short of matching their 2022-23 11-0 winning streak.
- Carson Myhre (‘07/Aberdeen, S.D.), a newcomer to junior hockey from the Sioux Falls Power AAA team, is on a six-game point streak with an active 5-4-9 run and 13 points overall in 11 games.
Northern Cyclones Continue On Three-Game Winning Streak
The Cyclones defeated the Thunder Hockey Club, 4-3, on Oct. 18, and then got back to Cyclones Arena on Oct. 20 to pick up a 3-2 win against the Boston Jr. Rangers in the shootout. Adding in an Oct. 16 win over the Islanders Hockey Club, the Cyclones enter this weekend’s action on a three-game winning streak that gives them a 6-1-0-1 record. Their .813 winning percentage is third best in the division.
- The Cyclones jumped ahead of the Tampa Bay Juniors by winning their league-leading fourth shootout. James Reen (‘05/Brighton, Mass.) scored his second shootout goal, tying Ventura’s Calvin Ruggiero in that category.
- Cameron Prodin (‘04/Dearborn, Mich.) joined creasemate Ethan Jourden (‘04/St. Louis, Mo.) in tying for most shootout wins in the league, with two apiece. They are tied with three others.
Springfield Pics Win Three In A Row To Jump Into First Place
Over the past week, the Pics won a pair of games against the Worcester Railers JHC (11-5 and 6-2). They had also earlier won on Oct. 13 against the Boston Junior Bruins, and that three-win streak has them in first place overall in points in the division at 9-1-0-1 and second in winning percentage at .864.
- Nick Zanin (‘04/West Stockbridge, Mass.) put up five assists in the pair of wins against the Railers to move into third in assists by defensemen league-wide.
- The Pics are 3-0-0-1 when being outshot and join the Ontario Jr. Reign (3-0-0-0) as the only two teams undefeated in regulation or overtime in multiple games where they have been outshot.
Utica Jr. Comets Finish Jersey Hitmen Classic At .500
The Jr. Comets joined the Boston Junior Bruins as the only two New England Division teams at the Jersey Hitmen Classic. They came out with a 2-2 record from the proceedings, starting off on Oct. 17 with a 3-1 loss to the host Hitmen. On Oct. 18, they defeated the West Chester Wolves, 5-4, in a shootout and College Universel Gatineau, 4-2. They closed on Oct. 19 with a 6-2 loss to the Montreal Black Vees. The pair of wins was enough to keep them above .500 at 5-4-0-1.
Islanders Hockey Club, South Shore Kings Earn Single Wins
The South Shore Kings’ light schedule over the last week saw just a 3-2 overtime win against the Boston Jr. Rangers. Their 8-2-0-1 record is enough to keep them second in division points with 17. The Islanders Hockey Club beat the Boston Jr. Rangers 5-2 on Oct. 18. They remain undefeated in regulation and are at third in points at 7-0-1-1, but first in winning percentage at .889.
Canada Division
Montreal Black Vees Sweep Hitmen Classic As Part Of 6-0 Run
The Black Vees pulled up to within a point of the division-leading Hawkesbury Knights after they won all three of their games at the USPHL Jersey Hitmen Classic. That was part of a larger six-game winning streak, the best yet for a team from the division. In New Jersey, the Black Vees defeated the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders, 3-2, while also beating the defending champion Connecticut Jr. Rangers, 5-4, in overtime. They closed with a 6-2 defeat of the Utica Jr. Comets, thus getting wins against two Nationals teams.
- Olivier Sirois (‘07/Montreal, Que.) scored two of the three game-winning goals in New Jersey and sits alone at the top of the leaderboard in that category with five GWG’s.
- Nathan Rutter-Richardson (‘06/Rockland, Ont.) is on a four-game winning streak and is undefeated in regulation at 6-0-1-1. That record is second best among goalies with at least eight victories, following only Vernal’s Levente Hegedus, at 8-0.
Hawkesbury Knights Go 1-1-1-0 At Hitmen Classic
Even with the Black Vees on a 6-0 surge, the Knights still held on to first overall in their division with a 1-1-1-0 record in Wayne, N.J. They hold the lead entering Friday’s action by a single point over Montreal. They fell on Oct. 17 to the West Chester Wolves, 3-0, then rebounded on Oct. 18 to beat the host Jersey Hitmen, 5-3. They closed on Oct. 19 with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Potomac Patriots.
Atlantic Division
Connecticut Jr. Rangers Earn Five Points To Begin Gaining Steam
The Jr. Rangers won their first two games and earned five points in their four games at the Hitmen Classic. They started out on Oct. 18 with an OT loss to Montreal, 5-4, before falling in their first of two Oct. 20 games, 4-1 to Hampton Roads. Later that day, they enjoyed a big win over fellow 2024 Nationals team the Potomac Patriots, 7-2, and closed Monday with a 5-2 win against Carolina.
- Returning champion Emil Elias (‘04/Stockholm, Sweden) is leading the team in scoring with a 4-6-10 line. Elias scored the GWG in the 2024 quarterfinal round against the current No. 1 team Charlotte Rush.
- Another returning Ranger from last year’s title-winners, goalie Teddy Ecker (‘05/Royal Oak, Mich.) was in net for both of the Jr. Rangers wins this past weekend, giving up four goals on 51 shots in the victories.
P.A.L. Jr. Islanders Come Out Of Showcase With 2-1-0-1
The Jr. Isles entered the showcase tied for third and left in second place, just one point behind the division-leading Elmira Impact and one point ahead of the West Chester Wolves. The Montreal Black Vees defeated P.A.L. in the Oct. 17 showcase opener. Three days later, P.A.L. returned with a big 10-2 win against Somang Hockey and a 3-2 win against Universel Sherbrooke, two more teams from the new Canada Division. They ended on Monday with a 2-1 shootout loss against the Hampton Roads Whalers, who were completing their own 4-0 sweep of the event.
- Peter Labos (‘04/Plainview, N.Y.) scored eight points at the Hitmen Classic, which helped him to pass former Jr. Islander Anthony Vernillo and move into first place in P.A.L. Premier history, dating to the inaugural season of the Premier in 2017-18. Labos’ 13 goals this season also have him ranked in a tie for second-most this year. Labos’ next career point will be his 100th. He is at 99 points in 55 games.
- Jack Semetsis (‘06/Smithtown, N.Y.) scored his third power play goal, to rank in a tie for second among all Premier defensemen in that category.
West Chester Wolves Close Out A 2-1-0-1 Record In Wayne
The Wolves are right there in the race for first as a first-year team, and it certainly helped them to get a couple of non-division wins under their belt to help them in their cause. At the Hitmen Classic, the Wolves started by shutting out the Canada Division leaders the Hawkesbury Knights, 3-0. In their two Oct. 18 games, they fell 5-4 to the Utica Jr. Comets in a shootout and also lost 3-1 to the Charlotte Rush. They closed on Oct. 20 with a 6-1 victory against College Universel Gatineau.
- Second-year Premier goaltender A.J. Golden (‘04/Medford, N.J.) stands at third in the Premier with a 0.98 goals against average, and fourth in save percentage (.964).
- West Chester native Aidan Urie (‘04) is leading the team in scoring with a 5-6-11 line. Urie was a member of the former Richmond Generals’ 2022 USPHL Elite National Championship team, which was coached by Wolves Hockey Program Director R.C. Lyke.
Elmira Impact Win Twice, Move Into First Place In Division
One of the few Atlantic teams not playing as part of the Hitmen Classic, the Impact won a two-game set against the Hershey Cubs, 4-3 and 7-2, on Oct. 19-20. The Impact’s 9-3-0-0 record gives them a division-leading 18 points, a one-point lead against P.A.L. entering this weekend’s action.
- At 12 games in, their 9-3-0-0 is their best-ever start at this milepost, just barely edging their inaugural season’s 7-3 record plus two ties for 16 points. The former Jr. Enforcers reached Nationals in that inaugural season.
- Goaltender Riley Gorman (‘04/Odessa, Texas) won his fifth game in a row on Oct. 20, and his 32 saves from that win kept him at No. 1 in saves in the Premier with 336. He is 7-2-0-0 this year.
Rockets Hockey Club’s Single Win Over Week Part Of Three-Game Streak
The Rockets defeated the Brooklyn Aviators, 9-4, on Oct. 20 to extend their winning streak to three games dating back to Oct. 12. Their 14 points this season so far puts them at fourth in the Atlantic Division.
Mercer Chiefs Go .500 At Hitmen Classic
The Chiefs started their run in Wayne, N.J., with an instant classic and a statement win for a new program: a 4-3 overtime victory against the league-leading Charlotte Rush on Oct. 17. They couldn’t keep up the same steam when they returned three days later on Oct. 20, falling 6-3 to the Potomac Patriots and 5-0 to the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings. Those first three opponents all were part of the 2024 Nationals. The Chiefs came back on Oct. 21 to defeat the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, 2-0.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights Add A Point
In the Knights’ only action of the past week, they were able to at least add one point by pushing the Hershey Cubs to overtime, where the Cubs won 4-3.
Florida Division
Florida Eels Win Third Premier Florida Cup With Pair Of Wins In 2-1 Week
The Florida Eels were the only team in their division to come out of this eight-day stretch with a pair of victories. Those two victories came in the third annual Florida Cup, which the Eels won with victories of 8-0 against the Palm Beach Typhoon in the Saturday semifinal and 2-1 in a close victory over the division-leading Tampa Bay Juniors. Prior to the Florida Cup, the Eels fell 4-3 to the Typhoon on Oct. 17.
- Goaltender Russ Decoste (‘05/Enfield, N.S.) rode his outstanding play in the Florida Cup – 51 saves on 52 shots – to a top five spot in the goaltending leaderboard for both GAA (1.00) and save percentage (.961).
- As a team, the Eels are ranked fifth in goals against average at 2.00.
Bold City Battalion Earn Single Victory To Extend Points Streak To Seven Games
The Bold City Battalion played a single Saturday game against the Atlanta MadHatters, 4-2, to extend their point streak to 4-0-2-1. The Battalion have not lost in regulation since their Sept. 20 opener against the Florida Jr. Blades.
Florida Jr. Blades, Tampa Bay Juniors Each Go .500 On Week
The Florida Jr. Blades fell 7-1 in their Florida Cup semifinal game to the Tampa Bay Juniors, and then defeated the Palm Beach Typhoon, 5-2, in the Premier consolation game on Oct. 20.
As aforementioned, the Juniors came off that 7-1 win to go into a tight battle with the eventual Florida Cup champion Florida Eels, falling 2-1. The Juniors are 8-2-0-0 and hold onto the points lead in the Florida Division, and are tied with the 4-1-0-0 Eels for the winning percentage lead.
