The USPHL Premier semifinals are all set for Monday, as the quarterfinal round on Sunday had some surprises (based on the original Seeding Round results).
In the first Semifinal, the Connecticut Jr. Rangers squeaked past the Charlotte Rush on a 2-0 victory that saw goalie Teddy Ecker make 49 saves for a shutout win. Emil Elias and Yakov Yakzhin had the goals.
Mark Phillips scored twice to help the Florida Eels earn a 4-2 victory against the Fort Wayne Spacemen, and they eventually held the top spot when all was said and done. They’ll advance to face the Islanders Hockey Club.
The Islanders secured what would become the No. 4 semifinal seed after they defeated the Metro Jets by a 4-3 score. They held a 3-1 lead before the Jets tied it up with two in the third period, before Jesper Seeberg – a USPHL Premier veteran with a history in the league going back to 2020-21 – scored the regulation GWG at the 18:38 mark.
The final game to come to a close on Sunday night was the showdown between the Potomac Patriots and the Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP). Potomac held a 2-1 lead after the first, MJDP took a one-goal lead in the second and then Potomac’s Siamion Marshchanok scored to tie it up at 3:41 of the third.
The teams would split 28 total shots in the first overtime exactly evenly before the second of two MJDP shots in the second OT, by Jake Taylor, settled the bill and gave the Jets th 4-3 double overtime win.
The MJDP will face the Connecticut Jr. Rangers at 3 p.m. and the Islanders Hockey Club will face the Florida Eels at 6 p.m.
