USPHL Elite Players Of The Month: South Region
By USPHL Staff
Southeast Division
Forwards
Tai York, Charlotte Rush
It was the perfect month for the Rush, going 14-0 – yes 14 wins in a 31-day month – and York (‘04/Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont.) jumped right into the mix after signing in December. He registered points in 12 of the 14 games and totaling a 10-13-23 line. His highlight was a 2-2-4 performance against Carolina on Jan. 24.
Ivan Korcak, Charlotte Rush
Also a major contributor to the Rush’s absolute domination from start to finish of the first month of 2021, the second-year 2000-born Slovakian was on fire for the Rush, finding his way to the net for 17 goals in 14 games. He added seven assists for 24 points, for a division-leading 1.71 points per game average. He scored his first of two hat tricks on the season on Jan. 10 against Potomac, also adding an assist in that game. He earned his way into the all-time Top 10 for USPHL Elite scoring during January as well.
Ryan Kotz, Richmond Generals
Kotz (‘01/Glenwood Springs, Colo.) helped the Generals get over some early-month stumbles to finish 8-2-1 for January, including a 4-0 run at the USPHL Southeast Showcase. He had a pair of three-point games on the month as he rode a 13-point month to jump into the team lead in scoring.
Defense
Kameron Williams, Richmond Generals
The goaltenders of the Generals – greatly talented as they are – are fortunate to not be too busy, as the Generals are a stingy team in terms of passes to the net. They’ve only allowed an average of 26 shots on goal per game and an average of under nine SOG per period. On the other side, Williams (‘02/Clarks Summit, Pa.) was all over the scoresheet with 7-6-13 in 10 contests.
Nikita Medvedev, Charlotte Rush
No teams are even close to the league-leading Generals and Rush, who are just one point apart in early February with the Generals currently holding the lead. Medvedev (‘02/Gomel, Belarus) has been doing his part for the Rush’s amazing mastery of both ends of the ice, helping their goalies face just 26.8 shots per game, while also chipping in with a goal and six assists – tied for the January lead in the division amongst defensemen.
Goaltender
Arley Cutler, Charlotte Rush
There was not a single loss for Cutler (‘02/Chicago, Ill.) in January, and he’s only actually had two L’s all season and none since mid-November. During the month, Cutler stopped nine of 132 shots for a .932 save percentage while going 6-0. On Jan. 24, he shut out the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes with 21 saves.
Florida Division
Forwards
Brody Smojice, Charleston Colonials
Smojice (‘02/Charleston, S.C.) scored nine goals and collected 16 points in 10 games for the Colonials in January including a game winner with one of his two goals against Potomac Patriots on Jan. 31. He also fired two goals against Carolina Junior Hurricanes on Jan. 9, the middle game of a big weekend series that saw him collect four goals and seven points.
Sebastian Hale, Charleston Colonials
Hale (‘03/Dallas, Texas) notched four goals and 12 points in 10 January contests with the Colonials. Two of his goals came against the Tampa Juniors on Jan. 29 and he notched a goal and three points against Carolina Junior Hurricanes on Jan. 8.
Matt Clift, Florida Eels
Clift (‘03/Broomfield, Colo.) scored eight goals and collected 13 points in a busy 13-game month with the Eels. Clift came up big when his team needed him, firing four game-winning goals, two of them in Shootouts. One of the game winners came as one of three goals scored against the New York Aviators on Jan. 12 and he also collected three points against the Northern Cyclones on Jan. 9.
Defensemen
Nash Cobbs, Tampa Bay Juniors
Cobbs (‘03/Dunellon, Fla.) Cobbs collected three goals and five assists for the Juniors including three goals in three games from Jan 11-16 – two of them against division rival, Atlanta Mad Hatters. Cobbs spread his scoring out well, picking up a point in eight of the 10 contests.
Vincent Cartier, Florida Eels
Cartier (‘04/St-Germain-de-Graham, Que.) picked up a goal and eight assists for the Eels, in January, starting out the month with a two-assist game against Northern Cyclones on Jan. 9 and he wrapped up the month with another two-point game – a goal and assist, against the Hampton Roads Whalers on Jan. 31.
Goaltender
D.J. Lyons, Charleston Colonials
Lyons (‘03/Breaux Bridge, La.) made three appearances for the Colonials in January and won them all, kicking out 90 of 94 shots and starting the month with a 31-save shutout against the Florida Eels on Jan. 25. He wrapped up the month with a .957 save percentage.
