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Thursday morning the Eels Elite and Premier teams travel to Columbia to take on the Infantry. This will be the Premier team’s first time squaring off against them this season. The Elite team Faced Off against them  in December at the December Showcase. In that game the Eels unraveled the Infantry 12-1. Despite that one sided game, neither Eels team will take them for granted. Indeed, the Infantry have defeated the Jr Blades, the Tampa Juniors, and the Atlanta Mad Hatters.

The Infantry are an expansion team and would like nothing better to defeat the Eels who are in first place in both the Premier and Elite Divisions. No doubt every team comes to play against the Eels. They indeed get up for our games. There is a big bulls eye on our back. So rest assured the Eels coaches and players have worked very hard this week preparing for the up coming 3 game series.

Congrats goes to Justin Colton as he was named Player of the Week by the league coaches

Games of Jan. 17-23, 2023

 

Florida Division

Forward: Ari Blatt, Tampa Bay Juniors

The ‘04 from Tampa and straight out of Steinbrenner High in Lutz posted three goals in the Juniors’ two contests against the Eels, including a pair of tallies in their 5-2 win over Florida on Jan. 20. He has 28 points in 32 games this year.

 

Defense: Justin Colton, Florida Eels 

Colton (‘03/Parkland, Fla.) is a versatile skater who has played more defense this year than the forward position at which he listed on USPHLElite.com. Recently, while on the blue line, he posted a goal and two assists for three points in three games. He now has 14 points in 14 games this year, and 58 points in 46 career games.

 

Goaltender: Ethan Kreider, Columbia Infantry

Speaking of versatility, Kreider recently got tapped to move out of the crease and play the weekend at forward against Nashville. He scored two goals in the Infantry’s victory on Jan. 22. This was just two weeks after he stopped 40 of 43 shots against the Florida Jr. Blades at the USPHL Tampa Showcase.

 

Southeast Division 

Forward: Santino Capone, Hampton Roads Whalers

Capone (‘04/Turnersville, N.J.) was the top scorer in the Southeast Division between Jan. 17-23, posting a goal and five assists for six points in just two games. His six points was also good for top 10 overall in the USPHL Elite. His SHG on Jan. 21 stood as the GWG against the Charlotte Rush in a 4-3 win. He has 29 points in 36 games, including nine points over his last three.

 

Defense: Nathaniel Boeckle, Richmond Generals 

Similar to Capone, Boeckle (‘05/Glen Allen, Va.) found a place in the top 10 of all USPHL Elite scoring for the week in question. He posted six assists in a weekend sweep of the Potomac Patriots for a big Virginia rivalry weekend. Boeckle has a 4-15-19 line for the season over 28 games.

 

Goaltender: Jean Berthaudin, Hampton Roads Whalers 

Berthaudin (‘03/St-Jean-du-Lac, Man.) was huge for the Whalers again this past weekend. He stopped 60 of 63 to help his squad pull off the aforementioned huge upset win against the Charlotte Rush. This came a week after he posted 49 saves on 50 shots against the Richmond Generals.

Games of Jan. 16-23

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com

 

 

Florida Division

Forward: Easton Moore, Florida Eels

Moore (02/Red Deer, Alb.) is enjoying a huge hot 10-game scoring streak here in January, posting 8-12-20 since Jan. 7, his second game of the month. Recently, Moore put up four goals and added one assist in wins against the Florida Jr. Blades and Tampa Bay Juniors as part of a 5-0 winning streak. Moore, who has 126 points in 119 Premier games, is also active with a five-game, six-goal streak.

 

Defense: Giovanni Grassi, Atlanta MadHatters

The MadHatters finished their weekend against the Palm Beach Typhoon with a 1-1-1 record, and a big reason for taking the three points was the play of Grassi. He had two goals and one assist over the series, all part of a greater six-game, nine-point scoring streak.

 

Goaltender: Tobias Bell, Florida Eels

Bell (‘03/Buffalo, N.Y.) stopped all 21 shots faced from the Tampa Bay Juniors on Jan. 20 for his ninth win and first USPHL Premier shutout. He is currently 4-1-0-0 for the month of January alone.

The Florida Eels return home for their home-stand vs the Tampa Juniors. On Friday the Eels Premier team showcased a near perfect game enroute to their 3-0 shutout of the Tampa Juniors. The passing was on the mark and the shots were relentless as the Eels pounded 44 shots at the Tampa netminder. The Eels denied any sustainable offense smothering the Tampa Juniors on the forecheck and suffocating them on the back check. Meanwhile the Eels goalie Toby Bell was flawless in net turning away 25 shots earning a shutout.

The Eels take on the Juniors Sunday at 1:30 pm

The Elite team fell 5-1 after a huge win over the Blades last week. The Eels could not generate the offense needed to match Tampa in Friday night’s away game in Tampa. This is our toughest opponent in the Division and you can rest assure the Eels staff will be countering this Sunday morning game time 11:00 am

On Friday the Eels Premier team showcased a near perfect game enroute to their 3-0 shutout of the Tampa Juniors.  In the 1st period the Eels scored 1st from a goal by Hennessy 18 (Maltais, Crupi), making it 1-0 at the end of period one

In the 2nd  both teams were on high octane  flying up and down the ice  but the score remained 1-0 Eels. Both goalies playing outstanding!

In the 3rd period the Eels turned up the heat and  tallied for 2 more goals  one from  Moore 15 (Hennessy, Bzovey), 0:32. 3, and  Budgell 8 (Godbout, Crupi),

The passing by the Eels  was on the mark and the shots were relentless as the Eels pounded 44 shots at the Tampa netminder. The Eels denied any sustainable offense smothering the Tampa Juniors on the forecheck and suffocating them on the back check. Meanwhile the Eels goalie Toby Bell was flawless in net turning away 25 shots earning a shutout.

 

The Eels take on the Juniors Sunday at 1:30 pm

The Eels Elite ran up against a stone wall Friday night as they were only able to tally one on the Tampa netminder whereas Tampa set all guns in motion in their 5-1 win over the Eels. The Eels had all the fire power this week when they upended the Jr Blades 7-1 but against the Juniors all their firepower went quiet. The boys have regrouped on this loss and look forward to their game on Sunday to avenge its loss.

Three Florida Eels Players boasting 50+ points this season; Moore,  Patterson and Goodbout,  with Marchetta on the heals with 46. We know he will shatter those numbers

What incredible fire power exhibited by the Eels teams.

Week of Jan. 10-16

Summaries by Joshua Boyd / USPHL

 

Florida Division

Forward: Collin Patterson, Florida Eels

Patterson (‘02/Melbourne, Fla.) was everywhere that the Eels needed him to be, scoring big goals and setting up even more. In three games – two against the Florida Jr. Blades and one against the Palm Beach Typhoon – he put up three goals and five assists for eight points. He now has 143 points in 112 career games over three seasons with the Eels, good for second all-time in Eels points.

 

Defense: Jeremy Pizzola, Florida Jr. Blades

Pizzola (‘03/Cape Coral, Fla.) is enjoying his fifth season of USPHL hockey, ranging from the Jr. Blades 15U program in 2018-19 to this secon full season with the USPHL Premier team. Pizzola posted three goals in a wild 9-8 OT loss to the Palm Beach Typhoon for his first career hat trick. He also posted three blocked shots in his last three games. He has now played 134 USPHL games at four levels.

 

Goaltender: Adam Rouleau, Florida Eels

Rouleau (‘04/Rouyn-Noranda, Que.) registered his first USPHL shutout in his first game, stopping all 32 Florida Jr. Blades shots in his Premier debut on Jan. 14 in a 5-1 victory over the local rivals. Rouleau brings Quebec major junior experience to the Eels lineup having played this season with the Val D’Or Foreurs in the QMJHL.