Congrats goes out to: Eels Elite Co-Captain Landen Engels selected Player of the Week
Games of Feb. 8-14, 2023
Summaries by Joshua Boyd
Southeast Division
Forward: Jacob Gifford, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Gifford (‘04/Cary, N.C.) has had a fantastic second Elite season with Carolina, improving his points total from nine in 2021-22 to 49 this season – so far. He posted six goals and added three assists for nine points in just two games recently against the Nashville Spartans. He posted a 4-1-5 performance, and then a 2-2-4 mark the next day. He had the GWG’s in both games.
Defense: Hudson Hinich, Hampton Roads Whalers
Hinich (‘03/Ancaster, Ont.) was a bright spot in an otherwise tough weekend for the Whalers, registering assists on two of the three Hampton Roads goals scored in their series against Potomac. His two assists ranked him among the offensive leaders among Southeast blueliners last week. Hinich also put up 19:59 per game of ice time last weekend, second on the Whalers D corps only to Jeremiah Parker. In addition to 23 Elite games, he has also played 17 Premier contests for Hampton Roads.
Goaltender: Tristan Falsetto, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Falsetto (‘02/West Palm Beach, Fla.) posted a fine 24-save shutout to defeat the Nashville Spartans in a game that helped the Jr. Canes stand currently four points ahead of their closest competition in the Southeast Division. Falsetto, who started in the USPHL at the 16U level in 2017-18, has a 1.78 goals against average, a .935 save percentage and two shutouts for the Jr. Canes.
Florida Division
Forward: Cooper Lundberg, Atlanta MadHatters
Lundberg (‘05/Atlanta, Ga.) has proven to be a go-to person from Day 1 until nearly the end of the regular season now. The MadHatters will go into the playoffs with a top 10 scorer who has 57 points in 36 games. Most recently, he added two goals and four assists in a weekend sweep of the Columbia Infantry, putting the MadHatters on a 5-0 winning streak.
Defense: Landen Engles, Florida Eels
Engles (‘03/Sioux Falls, S.D.) is a third-year Eel who has seen significant time this season at both the Premier and Elite levels. Most recently, he scored a very important insurance goal in a 6-4 victory against the Palm Beach Typhoon. Overall, he has a 3-9-12 line on the season in 15 Elite games (and a 1-2-3 in 16 Premier games).
Goaltender: Andrew Brabender, Atlanta MadHatters
Brabender (‘03/Edmonton, Alberta) is another player who has seen time at both the Premier – with the Bellingham Blazers – and the Elite this year. With the Hatters most recently, he put up a 19-save shutout in just his fifth start with Atlanta since joining in January.
