USPHL Elite: A Look At The South Region
By Jim DenHollander/USPHL.com, 10/21/19, 12:15PM EDT
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The Richmond Generals grabbed a pair of hard-fought wins on home ice – the first in a shootout against the Charlotte Rush, to keep pace with the idle Carolina Jr. Hurricanes in the USPHL Elite Southeast Division this past weekend.
The other Southeast Division matches saw the Hampton Roads Whalers grabbing a pair of wins on home ice against the Potomac Patriots.
In the Florida Division, the Florida Eels suffered a couple rare blemishes, falling in overtime to the Atlanta MadHatters in the first of two games in Fort Myers and in regulation Sunday while the Tampa Bay Juniors grabbed a pair of one-goal wins on the road in Charleston.
Rush 4 @ Generals 5 (so)
Rush 2 @ Generals 3
Rob Simmons (‘01/Richmond, Va.) fired the lone goal of the third period to force the overtime period Saturday and it was Simmons again with the lone goal in the shootout lifting the Generals to the victory.
Christian Roble (‘99/Aberdeen, N.C.) was in on all three second period goals for the Rush, scoring two and setting up the other.
On Sunday, Luke Dosen (‘00/Denver, Colo) sank the game winner a little before the halfway mark of the period.
The wins moved the Gens into a tie with the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes atop the division, but the Canes have played two fewer games.
Upcoming: The Generals will enjoy a weekend off before returning Nov. 2-3 for a home-and-home pair with the Potomac Patriots. The Rush will head to Wake Forest to play a pair against the Canes.
Patriots 2 @ Whalers 5
Patriots 1 @ Whalers 6
The Patriots scored first on Saturday and the teams were even at 2-2 heading to the third before Patrick Connolly (‘02/Jupiter, Fla.) scored the game winner in the third minute of the final period and the Whalers added a couple others for insurance.
Arun Cibrario (‘01/Glendale, Ariz.) paced the Whalers with a goal and two assists in the win.
The following day, the Whalers fired a couple unanswered first period goals and piled on three more before the Patriots fired the only shot that would beat Ty Morton (‘01/Germantown, Md.).
Evan Miles (‘03/Mesquite, Texas) scored twice for the Whalers.
Upcoming: The Whalers and Patriots will do it all again at Chilled Ponds in Chesapeake on Saturday and Sunday.
Florida Division – Mad Hatters keep Eels in sights
Mad Hatters 3 @ Eels 2
Mad Hatters 2 @ Eels 0
The Eels separated themselves from the rest of the Florida Division pack quickly this season, but a three-point weekend for the Hatters, who now hold second spot, shows the team is still in sight.
In the first game Saturday, Drew Depuydt (‘02/Atlanta, Ga.) scored his second of the game in overtime to lift his team to the win. Eels scored both of its goals in the first five minutes of the contest.
The following day teams were scoreless into the final period when Michael Abbas (‘00/Woodstock, Ga.) scored the game winner 9:34 in and the Hatters clinched the win with an empty netter 23 seconds from the end.
Upcoming: Both teams will be on the road this weekend, the Eels making the trip to Charleston for a pair against the Colonials and the Mad Hatters will be back in Florida to play the Junior Blades.
Juniors 3 @ Colonials 2
Juniors 4 @ Colonials 3 (OT)
In the first game, the Tampa Bay Juniors grabbed a 2-1 first period lead and both teams added one in the final frame as well.
Tyler Moschella (‘01/Tampa, Fla.) stopped 28 shots to secure the win in goal and it was Bryson Uhring (‘02/Orlando, Fla.) with the game winner.
On Sunday, the Juniors owned a 3-1 early in the third but the Colonials fought back, Brody Smojice (‘0/Johnstown, Penn.) tying it with 20 seconds to go to force the overtime frame.
Rasmus Tillander (‘02/Espoo, Finland) won it for the Juniors with his overtime goal near the end of the second minute.
Upcoming: The Colonials will stay home to entertain the Florida Eels this weekend. The Juniors will be off, getting extra time to prepare for a home-and-home set with the Florida Junior Blades Nov. 1-2.
