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.