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Florida Eels Elite goaltender Anthony LaCroix commits to Oklahoma University ACHA Division I, for the 2024-2025 season. LaCroix a two-year veteran of the USPHL, joins the Eels this season after playing for the Islanders Hockey Club in 2022-2023. LaCroix has played 36 games during his tenure with the USPHL, winning 23 and losing only 9.

The Oklahoma native is set to return home as he sets forward in collegiate hockey career next season. We have no doubt that LaCroix will be a valued asset of the Oklahoma University Sooners, as he has been for the Florida Eels. LaCroix has been an additive backbone for the Florida Eels Elite team this season. He is fluid between the pipes and is consistent in his game. LaCroix continues to face difficult games with a calm and poised demeaner.

Anthony LaCroix marks the 354^th Florida Eels player to transition into the collegiate hockey world.

Florida Eels face off against the Tampa Bay Juniors Thursday, February 15^th in Wesley Chapel, Florida at the Advent Health Center Rink. Florida Eels and Tampa Bay Juniors have continued to have intense split games throughout the season. As the Eels head to Tampa, they prepare to bring home the win.

After a recovery week, the Eels Premier and Elite have spent numerous hours preparing for this weeks’ upcoming games against Tampa Bay Juniors on Thursday, with a quick turn-around double game series against the Florida Junior Blades this weekend. The Eels used their off week to continue to train and prepare, while taking time to heal and get any needed rest. The Eels are now fiercely ready for this week and prepared to battle for the win.

Florida Eels Premier are currently in second place in the Florida Division with five regular season games left, and sitting at 54 points. Tampa Bay Juniors are currently sitting in third place with five regular season games left, and sitting at 50 points. Although both teams have clinched their spot to the Florida Divisional Playoffs at the beginning of March, these last few games are crucial for the each of the teams’ placement in the play off rounds. Florida Eels sit just behind the Bold City Battalion, who currently sit in first place, with a tied 54 points but one less Shootout Loss-allowing them to hold the first place slot. Florida Eels hope to secure the win against Tampa Bay Juniors keeping hold of the second-place title and perhaps propelling forward to first place before end of regular season.

Florida Eels Elite are currently in third place in the Florida Division with five regular season games left, and sitting at 53 points. Tampa Bay Juniors currently sit in first place in the Florida Division with five regular season games left, and sitting at 63 points. Although Florida Eels Elite and Tampa Bay Juniors Elite have clinched a playoff spot, in the Florida Divisional Playoffs, this weeks’ game, takes the Eels Elite one step further in the final determination of their placement in the Florida Divisional Playoffs. The Eels Elite are preceded by the Atlanta Mad Hatters who currently hold the second-place title, in the Florida Elite Division, with three regular season games left, with 54 points. With a win against Tampa Bay Juniors, the Eels Elite could forge their way to the second-place spot in the division.

Ready for Thursday’s game action? We are too! The Florida Eels Premier face-off against the Tampa Bay Juniors at 12:30 PM, followed by the Florida Eels Elite at 3:15 PM. Join us live at the Advent Health Center Rink, in Wesely Chapel, Florida or stream the game live on FloHockey.

The Florida Eels are prepared to go full steam ahead as we wrap up the last five regular season games and gear up for the play-off round. Each game is a potential point and seed placer for the Eels and is not taken lightly. As we gear up for the end of regular season regulation games and prepare for out playoff run, we remind you: Eels Nation, this is our moment to take it all. Help us get to the next phase of our championship goal. Use the QR Code below to help make a small donation towards our post season expenses.

USPHL names two Florida Eels goaltenders as their players of the week. Tresor Wotton was named Goaltender of the Week for the USPHL Premier Divison, and Michael Pelc was named as Goaltender of the Week for the USPHL Elite Divison

Goaltender: Tresor Wotton, Florida Eels 

Wotton (‘03/Foxwarren, Man.) had the best performance of the week in the division by stopping 46 of the 47 shots he faced against Bold City when he got the starts on Feb. 2 and 4, including a 21-save shutout on Feb. 2, his first in the USPHL. Wotton came to the Eels with two years prior experience in the Tier II Manitoba Junior Hockey League. 

Goaltender: Michael Pelc, Florida Eels 

Pelc (‘04/Akron, Ohio) stopped 36 of the 37 shots that the Eels faced on Feb. 3, the middle game of a three-game sweep of the Bold City Battalion. Pelc has improved to 4-3-0-0 with a .932 save percentage and a 1.96 goals against average this year.

Florida Eels Premier Holden Beckett Commits to Post University, for the 2024-2025 school year, where he will play NCAA Division II Ice Hockey. Beckett has played in over 101 games in the USPHL: Boston Advantage (21-22) and P.A.L Junior Islanders (22-23), and the Florida Eels (23-24). Beckett has had 24 goals in his USPHL career and 17 assists, with a total of 41 points.

Beckett, who joined the Florida Eels Premier team this season brings an incredible amount of energy and zeal to each game. Holden has an insatiable appetite to score, and is an expert at retrieving timely goals. Beckett’s high tempo game, and relentless energy is palpable-he never quits. He is a key player of puck retrieval and relentless forecheck. Beckett is unceasing as he motors around the rink with his smothering forecheck.

Holden Beckett, will be seamless as he transitions from his junior hockey tenure to his future colligate hockey career. Beckett marks the  353^rd Florida Eels player to embark on the college experience.

There was quite alot riding on this weekends’ game series for the Florida Eels Premier. For the first time in nearly 10 years, the Florida Eels were not in their usual top teired first place spot in the Florida Division. Although, the Eels take every game with a sense of seriousness and with an intensity to win, the Premier team and coaching staff had an even bigger incentive to win: to gain their first place spot back. The Eels prepared with a tenacity and a buring fire for this weekends games against Bold City, and they came out with a boom.

Game One: Eels Premier were a dominating force in Friday, February 2nd, series opener against the Bold City Battalion. The Eels defense was a force to be reckoned with as their offense were strong and getting up the ice. Eels were able to score two points one in the second, by Noah Trathen, and one in the third, by Matt Perry. Eels new coming goaltender, Tesor Wotton was able to maintain a shutout to close game one. Thus, claiming their first place spot back and their first game of the three game series. But now they had to maintain their lead and spot.

Game two was a nail-biting battle between Bold City and the Florida Eels. Florida Eels three year veteran Anthony Zebley opened the game securing goal one in the first period. Bold City tied the game, early in the second and forged ahead 2-1 by the end of the second period. Eels Hold Beckett, tied up the game scoring the Eels second goal at 3:46 in the third period. Eels continued to battle as they tried to gain another point. Bold City claimed the lead 3-2, at 6:59 in the third. Eels pulled goaltender Dylan Boughen, in attempt to tie up the game, but Bold City solidified their win, by gaining an empty net goal, closing the game 4-2 and their win of the second game of the series. The series was not split and the stakes were high! Who would win the series? Who would gain the title of first place in the division after this weekend? Would it be the Eels? Would it be Bold City?

Game three, Florida Eels were ready and determined to gain the series win. Eels were back to their dominating defensive play. After a scoreless first period, Bold City claimed their first and only point of the game at 2:27 in the second period. The Eels were not backing down, they dug deep and fought harder. At 15:32 Florida Eels Teddy Feng secured the Eels first goal of the game tying up the game 1-1. Florida Eels Anthony Zebley, scored grabbing the Eels first lead of the game 2-1, at 10:04 in the third period. Ocean Angus soon followed securing the Eels third and final goal of the game at 13:00 of the third. Tresor Wotton continued to defend and deflect every shot attempted by Bold City. The Eels closed out the game 3-1, claiming the series win!

Florida Eels Premier now sit back in first place of the Florida Division! Florida Eels Premier next face off against the Tampa Bay Juniors of February 15^th, 2024 at 12:30 pm at the Advent Health Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

Florida Eels Elite pull off series sweep in this weekends’ three game series against the Bold City Battalion. The Florida Eels Elite were prepared and ready for the three game weekend and determined to take home the series win. The Eels succeeded in their goal and not only completed a series win but swept the Bold City Battalion winning all three of the games over the course of the weekend.

The Eels Elite won 4-2 in Friday’s, February 2^nd, series opener. Sean Burke secured the Eels first point of the game at 8:09 in the first period. Zayn Haddon-Harris followed with point number two at 13:21 of the first period. The Eels closed the first period 2-0 over Bold City. At 7:23 of the second period Dominic Doyle secured the Eels third goal of the game, and at 15:02 Marc Ghafari gained goal number four. The Eels went into the third period 4-0 over the Bold City Battalion. Bold City came out fired up and secured their first goal of the game at 1:52 of the third period and followed with goal two at 16:58 of the third. However, Anthony LaCroix was able to fight off additional attempts to tie up the game, holding the net and keeping the Battalion at bay allowing for the Eels Elite to win 4-2.

Game two, Saturday February 3^rd, the Eels dominated the ice with a 7-1 win. Eels Cole Taylor scored the first point of the game at 4:15 of the first and was followed by Alex Cochran who scored goal two at 11:44. Eels went into the second with a 2-0 lead over Bold City Battalion. Brendan Dohan grabbed Eels goal three at 9:55 of the second, and Jackson Carnes garnered goal four at 14:51 of the second. Bold City claimed their one and only goal of the game at 17:07 of the second, and the Eels closed out the second period 4-1 over Bold City. The third and final period the Eels claimed three more goals, Zayn Haddon-Harris with two of the goals at 3:26 and 12:41 and Fynn O’Neill with one at 11:34.  Netminder, Michael Pelc, held the Battalion at one goal gaining the Eels second win of the series 7-1.

Sunday’s, February 4^th, Game three closer was won 4-0. Yiorgos Bikakis gained the first point of the game at 5:50 in the first, followed by Marc Ghafari with goal two at 17:29 of the first-closing out the first with a 2-0 lead over Bold City. Yiorgos Bikakis claimed his second goal of the game and the Eels third point of the game at 14:06 in the second period. Eels Zayn Haddon-Harris claimed the Eels final point of the game at 19:08 of the second period. Goaltender and veteran Nate Haas held the game at a zero point advantage for the Florida Eels and the game closed out a 4-0 over Bold City- and claiming the series sweep!

Florida Eels Elite remain in third place of the Florida Division, just one point behind the Atlanta Mad Hatters. Eels Elite will face off against the Tampa Bay Juniors on February 15^th 2024 at 3:15pm at the Advent Health Center Rink in Wesely Chapel, Florida.

Florida Eels Premier and Elite Teams Split Weekend Home and Away Series vs the Tampa Juniors

The Eels and the Tampa Juniors Premier and Elite teams Faced Off in a weekend series. The Eels Premier team lost Friday night 4-1 up at the Advent Center Ice in Tampa   but came back with a clear and convincing win back in Ft Myers with a solid win 7-4 in front of a packed house at the Ft Myers Skatium. On Sunday we saw the Eels players fight for every inch of the ice. It was a possession game. One of the hardest hitting games all season. Every player delivered a minimum of 4+ hits. Each guy also blocked as many shots and the team as a whole connected with 44 shots  on two of Tampa’s netminders.

Eels new goalie Tresor Wotton  faced 31 shots enroute to his first win as an Eel. He felt good avenging his Friday night loss 4-1. The win brought the Eels with in 2 points of sharing 1^st place with Jacksonville. However, Bold City  has played   2 fewer games. For the remainder of the season, each game will be a dogfight. The Eels have clinched a playoff spot but now it is jockeying for positioning.

The Elite team also played the two game home and away series vs the Tampa Juniors. On Friday the Eels Elite team was victorious over the Juniors 3-2. But just the opposite of Premier sustained a disappointing loss on Sunday at home 5-3. What is even more disappointing was the Eels lead at the end of the first 3-1 and were still ahead 3-2 at the end of the 2nd .

The Eels sit in 3^rd place with 45 points. They are behind Atlanta who is in 2^nd place with 50 points. However, the Madhatters have played 3 more games the the Eels.  Tampa sits comfortably in 1^stwith 51 points. The Madhatters and Tampa play a 3 game series this upcoming weekend. So there will be a filtering process. The Eels have only one game this weekend vs Palm Beach Typhoon.

Like in the Premier Division, so much is yet to be decided, except that the Eels have clinched a playoff spot.

This weekend the Eels take on the Tampa Juniors for a two game series for both the Premier and Elite teams.  On Friday the Eels travel to Tampa and on Sunday they are back for a homestead for a double header.

The Elite team sits in  unfamiliar  territory at 3rd place with 43 points. Atlanta Madhatters are in 2nd place who have 44 points but they played 2 more games. In fact they play the Palm Beach Typhoon this weekend with a 3 game series. They could gain 6 points. But with a 3 game series they would have played 3 more games more than the Eels. The Eels want to target the 4 points this weekend to keep the race close. The Eels have 3 games remaining vs the Typhoon, 2 games vs the Blades, 3 vs Jacksonville and 1 game vs Tampa. So There will be a battle to the end.

The Eels Premier team sits in 2nd place with 46 points whereas Jacksonville sits in 1st with 50 points. Jacksonville has played one more game than the Eels This weekend is key for the Eels if they want to take back 1st Jacksonville is off this weekend and then play Tampa next weekend for two games. No doubt this weekend will be key for both teams

Join us live or on Flohockey for this exciting action.