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FLORIDA EELS PREMIER TEAM MOVES UP ON NATIONAL RANKINGS

31 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Florida Eels Premier Team moves up on the My Hockey National Rankings They are now ranked 23rd Nationally. They moved up 2 points on the rankings

The Premier Team is ranked 3 in the USPHL

Big weekend ahead the Showcase

FLORIDA EELS ELITE REMAIN 1ST IN THE FLORIDA DIVISION
31 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Florida Eels Elite team remain 1st over all in the Florida Division with 36 points four more than Tampa at 32.
The Elite team is Nationally ranked at 103 moved up 9 points  but its rankings go neck on neck vs Premier teams

Nine Players With USPHL Ties On Team USA World Junior Roster

By James Murphy/USPHL.com, 12/27/19, 8:15AM EST

Team USA began it’s bid for a fifth gold medal at the 2020 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic Thursday with a 6-4 loss to Canada. The Americans will play Germany Friday in their second qualifying game. The USPHL is well represented on the USA roster as nine players have ties to League Member Organizations, or directly played in the league.

Here’s a capsule look at the USPHL and USPHL organizational alumni playing for the Red, White, and Blue.

 

(G) Spencer Knight (Mid-Fairfield Rangers Bantam Major 2015-16 / 16U 2016-17)

 

• 18 yrs old

• 6’3, 192 lbs

• Stamford, Conn.

• Boston College (Freshman)

• 2019 13th overall pick (1st Rd.) by Florida Panthers

 

(D) Jordan Harris (Islanders Hockey Club 16U / 2014-15)

 

• 19 yrs old

• 5’11, 179 lbs

• Haverhill, Mass.

• Northeastern University (Sophomore)

• 2018 71st overall pick (3rd Rd.) by Montreal Canadiens

 

(F) Parker Ford (Selects Academy 16U 2015-17)

 

• 19 yrs old

• 6’0, 176 lbs

• Wakefield, R.I.

• Providence College (Freshman)

• Undrafted

 

(F) Shane Pinto (Selects Academy 16U 2016-17, 18U and Midget 2017-18)

 

• 19 yrs old

• 6’2, 192 lbs

• Former New York Aviator

• Franklin Square, NY

• University of North Dakota (Freshman)

• 2019 32nd overall pick (2nd Rd.) by Ottawa Senators

 

(F) Trevor Zegras (Mid-Fairfield Rangers Bantam 2015-16)

 

• 18 yrs old

• 6’0, 174 lbs

• Bedford, NY

• Boston University (Freshman)

• 2019 9th overall pick (1st Rd.) by Anaheim Ducks

 

(D) Zachary Jones (Selects Academy 16U 2015-17; Selects Academy 18U 2017-18)

 

• 19 yrs old

• 5’10, 176 lbs

• Former Richmond Generals Midget Player

• Glen Allen, VA

• University of Massachusetts (Freshman)

• 2019 68th overall pick (3rd Rd.) by New York Rangers

 

(D) Mattias Samuelsson (Northwood School 2014-16)

 

• 19 yrs old

• 6’4”, 220 lbs

• Voorhees, NJ

• Western Michigan University (Sophomore)

• 2018 32nd overall pick (2nd Rd.) by Buffalo Sabres

 

(F) Oliver Wahlstrom (Islanders Hockey Club Bantam 2013-14)

 

• 19 yrs old

• 5’11”, 187 lbs

• West Yarmouth, Maine

• New York Islanders (NHL)

• 2018 11th overall pick (1st Rd.) by New York Islanders

 

(F) Arthur Kaliyev (Connecticut Jr. Rangers Youth, 2012-13)

• 18 years old

• 6’2″, 190 lbs

• Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)

• 2019 33rd overall draft pick (2nd Rd.) by Los Angeles Kings

Florida Eels Premier Team Set the Tome off the Showcase by Defeating 20-0 Islanders Hockey Club Previously Ranked No. 1 in the league. Eels Split
Weekend at The Showcase Going 2-2 Overall.

The Eels vs the IHC was the first game of the Showcase and it set lights off across the USPHL. No doubt the Eels were considered by many as the under dogs. But they proved otherwise. This was not an easy game by no means. The IHC struck first in the 1st period. The teams were pretty even throughout that period as the play went back and forth battling for every inch of the ice surface.
It took the Eels 5 minutes of the 2nd period before they hit pay dirt by a goal from Regnars Udris (3) ASST: Gage Dill (15), TJ Zebley (18) But then the IHC came storming back wit2 more goals in the 2nd to give them back the lead.
Coach Scarpaci settled his team down and designed a game plan and his troops responded with 4 unanswered goals in the 3rd period.
Jared Figueroa (13) ASST: Jens Petersen (20)
Adam Gaudet (13) ASST: None
Maksim Tereshchenko (18) ASST: Jake Court (18), Gage McNeish (9)
Jared Figueroa (14) ASST: Adam Gaudet (12)

Eels netminder Jakub Kostelny played another phenomenal game turning away 25 of 28 shots on net. The Eels pounded the IHC Goalie with 30 shots.

The Eels coming off a real high point had 2 setbacks in day 2 where they fell to the Hampton Road Whalers and the Charlotte Rush. The boys were disappointed but knew they had the resolve to come back hard more determined and hungrier looking to avenge their losses. GM Scarpaci said no excuses. We understand though. It is days before the Christmas break and many of our guys are heading back to Europe. It is very hard at this time of year. You have to remember they are kids. But they showed what their training was all about thus far. They were not willing to throw in the towel so to speak. In game 4 the Premier kids came out on fire.
The Eels were facing one of the top teams in the Southern Division and in the USPHL – the Carolina Hurricanes. This was the 2nd time the Eels faced the Jr Cains. This team has it all. Solid goaltending Big D and high-flying aggressive forwards who can score. But the Eels brought their A game to this one. It was a defensive battle between the two squads. They fought for every inch of the ice. Each line knew they had to be smart and not make mental mistakes. But you cannot over think these games. The boys trained hard all year and it was Showtime. And that is what they did. The game remained scoreless for two periods. Each goalie was tested again and again.

At the 8 minute mark once again a big goal from Eels Defensemen Regnars Udris (4) ASST: None (SH)
Then another Eels D man stepped up for the 2nd goal at 17 minutes into the period
Gage Dill (14) ASST: Keve Toth (2), TJ Zebley (19)
Wow. And guess what the 3rds and final goal was notched by another Eels D Man Egor Nosov (5) ASST: Gage Dill (16)
Eels Goalie Jesper Ahlberg turned away all Cains suitors and garnered a shutout.
This was a great ending for the Eels for the Showcase. They closed up with a 2-2 record defeating tow top teams and now have a well-deserved rest.

 

The Florida Eels Elite team competed in 4 extremely competitive games at the USPHL Tampa Showcase. No doubt these were tough games many of our competitors will undoubtedly be seen at the Nationals. We struggled a bit but we were suffering with significant injuries during these games, including a concussion, collar bone injuries high ankle sprains and call ups to the Premier team. No excuses as it gave plenty of opportunities for other guys. But the wealth of experience gained here will prove invaluable at the next showcase in January
The boys never quit and continued to forge forward in each game. It is all about player development and that includes learning not just at practices and games but also at Showcases.
The boys are off for the holidays and we will all look forward to our games in Boston at the main USPHL Showcase

USPHL Premier: South Region Players Of The Week 

 

By USPHL Staff

 

Week of Dec. 11

 

Congratulations to these players representing the USPHL Premier’s Southeast and Florida Divisions.

 

Forward: Jacob Kaplan, Hampton Roads Whalers

Kaplan (‘99/Bowie, Md.) has nearly tripled his 2018-19 USPHL Premier output with 40 points through 23 games this year. This included four goals and two assists in a weekend split against the Richmond Generals.

In a 7-6 track meet loss on Sunday, Kaplan posted a hat trick – his second of the season – and one assist for the Whalers. He also had a goal and an assist in a 6-2 Saturday win for the Whalers. Heading into the USPHL Florida Showcase, Kaplan is on a nine-game scoring streak, over which he has scored 14 points.

He now has a combined 95 points in 96 USPHL Elite and USPHL Premier games with the Whalers going back to 2017.

 

Defense: Bobby Brouwer, Hampton Roads Whalers 

The second-year USPHL defenseman Brouwer (‘99/Wilmington, N.C.) picked up three assists for the Whalers in their close 7-6 loss to the Generals on Sunday.

Brouwer is much more of a defensive defenseman, however, as he currently stands with the team lead in shorthanded time per game (3:20) and he is also the Whalers’ top shot-blocking defenseman, averaging two per game.

 

Goaltender: Jakub Kostelny, Florida Eels

Kostelny (‘99/Trencin, Slovakia) had his two best games since mid-October, stopping 77 of 78 shots in a pair of road wins against the Atlanta MadHatters, including one in a shootout. His regulation victory was a 39-save shutout, helping to raise Kostelny to a 13-1 record this year, tops in the entire USPHL Premier.

His .928 save percentage is good for a tie for fifth in the league.

USPHL Elite: South Region Players Of The Week

By USPHL Staff/USPHL.com , 12/11/19, 8:15PM EST

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Congratulations to this trio of Players Of The Week from the Florida and Southeast Divisions of the USPHL Elite.

 

Forward: Kaleb Harrop, Florida Eels

Harrop (‘01/Hartford, Ill.) was on fire throughout the Eels’ four games in three days in Atlanta last week. He came away from the trip with eight of his 13 total points on the season.

After scoring a goal in a 5-3 loss to open the set, he scored three goals and one assist later the same day for a 5-3 Eels win.

Saturday saw an assist in a 4-2 MadHatters victory, but he came right back with two assists – including one on the game-winner – to complete the big four-game outburst.

 

Defense: Michael Abbas, Atlanta MadHatters

The second-year Atlanta player has advanced his game to the point where he has seen action in 10 USPHL Premier games in addition to his 17 with the Elite MadHatters. Abbas (‘00/Woodstock, Ga.) was a big help to the MadHatters during their 2-2 split of four games with the Florida Eels last week. He earned an assist in the 5-3 MadHatters win on Friday, and then scored a hat trick in their 4-2 victory on Saturday. He now has nine points through his 17 Elite games this season.

 

Goaltender: Kenny Vought, Hampton Roads Whalers

Vought (‘01/Larksville, Pa.) went toe-to-toe with the USPHL Elite leaders the Richmond Generals and he and his Whalers teammates came out with a split. In a 3-1 loss, he stopped 40 of 42 shots that he faced, before stopping 25 of 27 the next day in a goaltenders’ duel against the league-leading NIck Bernstein.

Vought drew even on the season at 5-5-2-1, and his .942 save percentage on the weekend gave his overall numbers a great boost.