Congrats To Eels Forwards: USPHL Premier All-Stars: South Region Forwards

By Jim den Hollander/USPHL.com, 03/21/19, 4:30PM EDT

The USPHL Premier South Region, consisting of the Southeast and Florida Divisions, is pleased to announce its 2018-19 season All-Star Selections, voted on by the coaches of the two divisions. Coaches could not vote for their own players on the ballots.

The South Region named one Premier All-Star team of 12 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies.

Earlier today, we announced the USPHL Elite South Region All-Stars, and now we begin the USPHL Premier South Region announcements with the Defensemen and Goalie selections, followed in about one hour (4:30 p.m. EST) by the USPHL Premier South Region All-Star Forwards.

Friday, March 22, will see the release of the North Region All-Stars from both the USPHL Premier and Elite. Yesterday saw the release of all USPHL Premier Midwest Region All-Stars.

 

Forwards

Brandon Osmundson (‘98/Chesapeake, Va.) – Hampton Roads Whalers

If ever there was a ‘shoo-In’ selection, this is it. Osmundson didn’t win the scoring race this season, he dominated it, his 93 points (30 goals, 63 assists) giving him an eight point edge on the next best shooter and almost 20 in front of the rest of the pack. It will be tough to replace this guy – a five-year member of the Whalers’ organization, he played 204 games and collected 342 points with multi-level Whalers teams.

 

John Moncovich (‘98/Wilmington, N.C.) – Hampton Roads Whalers

Another five-year member of the Whalers family, Moncovich made scoring big goals a habit this season. Nine of his 31 goals were game winners and 13 came on powerplays. He added 21 assists and like Osmundson he has become a legend in Chesapeake, appearing in 202 games through five seasons and putting up a total of 284 points. He has already committed to Utica College beginning in September, and will be heading there alongside fellow All-Stars and Whalers teammates Brandon Osmundson and Jaxon Rutkowski.

 

Conner Hunt (‘98/Frisco, Texas) – Hampton Roads Whalers

Hunt collected 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points in 42 games played and he was another the provided the big goals, scoring five times on power play and twice while shorthanded, seven of his 18 goals were game-winners. Hunt added another 11 points in the postseason, including another game winner.

 

Matthew Jahn (‘98/Glen Allen, Va.) – Charlotte Rush

Jahn played in the North Region the previous season and was a perfect fit on the Rush where he led the team in scoring with 30 goals and 36 assists this past season. A dozen of his goals came on the Rush power play and three were game winners. Jahn added three more assists in five postseason encounters.

 

Billy Berry (‘99/Redding, Conn.) – Charlotte Rush

Berry was a top line sniper for the Rush, contributing 29 goals and adding 27 assists in 40 games. Seven of his goals came on the power play and a half dozen were game-winners, while another three were scored with the Rush down a skater.

 

Antonio Demacopoulos (‘98/Hickory Hills, Ill.) – Charlotte Rush

Demacopoulos, a third-year junior and second year member of the Rush enjoyed his best offensive campaign by a long shot, collecting 28 goals and 35 assists. Eight of his goals stood up as game winners and four came on a Rush power play. Demacopoulos went on to add two more goals and two helpers in five postseason encounters as well.

 

Nikita Pinimyasov (‘00/Moscow, Russia) – Florida Eels

Back for a second season with the Eels, Pinimyasov appeared in 42 games, collecting 24 goals and 32 assists to lead the Eels scoresheet for the campaign. Pinimyasov collected 14 power play goals and set up another six with the extra attacker. He scored three game-winners and scored on his only shootout attempt of the season.

 

Demeed Podrezov (‘00/Moscow, Russia) – Florida Eels

Podrezov missed just one game out of 44 regular season contests (likely while he was on a Tier-2 call-up) and collected 25 goals along with 25 assists for the Eels in a fine debut year of North American junior hockey.

Podrezov collected seven power play goals and added another four with the Eels a skater short. One of his goals was a game-winner and came on a shootout.

 

Daniil Avdioukhin (‘98/St. Petersburg, Russia) – DME Swamp Rabbits

Avdioukhin got off to a quick start this season and settled in for a 22-goal and 34-assist campaign. Avdioukhin collected five game winners and scored eight times on the powerplay to lead the Swamp Rabbits’ offense.

 

Jason Foltz (‘00/Alpharetta, Ga.) – Atlanta Kings

Foltz wrapped up his second full season (he played one game in 2016-17 as well) with the Jr. Kings and made the jump from Elite to Premier in a big way, leading the team in scoring with 13 goals and 29 assists. Foltz scored twice on the power play and one of his goals was a game win. If he decides to return to his hometown team, Foltz will likely be a regular on the All-Star list.

 

Tyler Schaeffer (‘99/Edwardsville, Ill.) – Tampa Bay Juniors

Schaeffer made the move from the North Region to the South in 2018-19 and he was a great fit on the Juniors, leading the team with 23 goals and 19 assists, playing in 39 games.

Schaefer scored four power play goals and added a couple shorthanded goals for the Juniors and three of his goals were game-winners. The Juniors were eliminated in a tough three-game playoff series, but Schaeffer chipped in three goals and an assist in that stretch.

 

Luca De Dona (‘98/Bolzano, Italy) – Richmond Generals

For a second season, the Italian forward made the trek to Virginia and played with the Generals. He raised his offensive totals to 18 goals and 20 assists this past season and missed only one of the team’s 44 regular season contests. De Dona notched four power play goals and added one while shorthanded. Three of his goals stood up as game-winners.

 

Alex Lazier (‘98/Pointe Claire, Que.) – Carolina Eagles

The Eagles collected just 105 goals this season, but second-year team member Lazier was in on 32 of them, scoring eight and setting up another 24 and he appeared in all 44. The French-Canadian forward scored five powerplay goals for the Eagles and added a shorthanded marker. He was chosen once to take part in the shootout and collected a shootout game winner.