By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
In this week’s streamlined USPHL Premier This Week: East Edition, we’ll look at the top point-producing teams between Nov. 7-14, and additional teams who have made positive standings moves during that stretch. Why wait – let’s dive right in!
Atlantic Division
Elmira Impact Win Six In A Row To Extend Division Lead
The Impact are on a six-game winning streak going back to their very first game of November, on Nov. 2. Over the past week, they had a pair of two-game series, winning all four against the Hershey Cubs and Brooklyn Aviators. In doing so, the Aviators have expanded their lead from three to eight points.
- Also launching his way up individually on the scoring leaderboard is the Impact’s leading scorer Liam Coutu (‘06/Granby, Que.) who moved from 12th on Nov. 7 to third today, with 47 points in 16 games. An 11-goal week also put him into a tie for first overall in that category with 21, tied with the Minnesota Mullets’ Cyril Valach.
Elsewhere In The Atlantic Division
- The West Chester Wolves swept their past two games, and moved from third into a tie for second in the Atlantic at 24 points.
- The P.A.L. Jr. Islanders took three points over the last week, giving them a share of second place alongside West Chester.
- A three-point week for the WBS Knights in three games helped them make a step from eighth in the division to seventh.
- The Red Bank Generals won their only action of the week on Nov. 7, enough to keep alive a point streak of six games (5-0-1-0).
Florida Division
Florida Eels Go 3-1-0-0 At Fort Wayne Showcase For Six-Point Week
The Eels entered the USPHL Fort Wayne Showcase, as the only non-Midwest Division team in the event, tied for second place in the Florida Division. They enter this weekend tied for first place with Tampa Bay, each at 22 points, after going 3-1-0-0, taking wins against the Decatur Blaze, Fort Wayne Spacemen (in OT) and Metro Jets Development Program. Their only loss came in their Nov. 8 opener against the Chicago Crush.
- The Eels are led offensively by four-year veteran Anthony Zebley (‘04/Estero, Fla.), who already bypassed the 15 points he scored last season by putting up 17 points in 17 games this year. Zebley also passed the 100-game mark in Fort Wayne and currently has a total line of 34-34-68 for his Premier career.
Elsewhere in the Florida Division
- The Bold City Battalion won two in a row on Nov. 9 and 10 against Palm Beach and Atlanta and are on a three-game point streak.
New England Division
Boston Junior Bruins’ 3-1-0-0 Week Pushes Them Up A Spot
Yes, standings position talk may be early here just short of two weeks away from Thanksgiving, but you have to admit it’s a lot of fun to see how the division races are stacking up as we approach the midseason mark in December. The Junior Bruins improved their standings by winning three (while falling in one) during a busy four-game stretch. The team defeated the Worcester Railers JHC, the Thunder hockey Club and the Springfield Pics (in a shootout) between Nov. 7-9. They fell on Nov. 13 to the Northern Cyclones. They improved their points over the week from 15 points for sixth place to 21 points, and into a tie for fifth, while also standing just one point shy of a tie for third in the New England Division.
- In the shootout against the Pics, Mathyas Hlavac (‘06/Slavkov, Czechia) scored his second shootout goal of the season, giving him a tie for first place league-wide in that category. With 19 points in 15 games, Hlavac is another second-year Premier veteran who has already improved on last season’s total.
Elsewhere in the New England Division
- The Boston Jr. Rangers, Islanders Hockey Club and Northern Cyclones all went 2-0 on the past week. The Islanders entered Friday’s action on a 15-game point streak (13-0-1-1) and were temporarily jostled from first to second by the Springfield Pics, who enjoyed a 1-0-1-1 four-point week to jump into first, where they were as of Friday morning. The Cyclones have points in their last five games (4-0-1-0).
Southeast Division
Charlotte Rush Take Sweep, Restore Four-Point Division Lead
The Charlotte Rush enjoyed a two-game set of victories against the Potomac Patriots last week, winning 5-2 and 2-1 at home. That helped them re-open their otherwise slim lead for first in the division back up to four points, just slightly better than the three-point cushion they’d had over Hampton Roads the previous week.
- Levente Pakozdi (‘04/Budapest, Hungary) is enjoying a strong first Premier season in leading the Rush with 24 points in 17 games.
Elsewhere In The Southeast Division
- The Hampton Roads Whalers defeated and fell in OT against the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, and they are still unbeaten in regulation over their last eight games.
Canada Division
Montreal Black Vees Ride 11-Game Winning Streak Into Top Five
The Black Vees are undefeated since Sept. 29, their final game at the BJB Shootout. They’ve rolled since then and are up to the top of the Canada Division, extending their lead over Hawkesbury from one point a week ago to three entering Friday. Last weekend, they defeated both Universel Sherbrooke and Somang L-L Hockey. They face Universel Sherbrooke again this weekend.
- Goaltender Nathan Rutter-Richardson (‘06/Rockland, Ont.) put up the win against Sherbrooke to improve to 9-0-1-1 on the year. His seven-game winning streak also put him into a tie for third in league wins.
