USPHL Premier Players Of The Week: Midwest Region

Games of Jan. 16-23, 2023

Midwest East Division 

Summaries by Miles Regan

Forward: Lucas Millmine, Metro Jets Development Program

A bit of a breakout weekend was had by Lucas Millmine during MJDP’s homestand
against the Chicago Crush. The ‘03 centerman from Waterford, Mich., scored a goal and
added two assists to help lead MJDP to a 6-1 victory on Saturday before tacking on
another assist in Sunday’s win. Millmine’s totaled a solid 21 (5-16–21) points during his
first USPHL season.

Defense: Jack Rivera, Metro Jets Development Program

It took just two shots for Jack Rivera to record his first-career USPHL goal, first-career
game-winning goal, and first-career multipoint game on Sunday. The ‘04 out of
Macomb, Mich., brought MJDP even with the Chicago Crush in the third period with
first goal before winning the game in overtime with his second. Rivera averaged a point
per game on the weekend, and him doing so usually bodes well for the Jets. MJDP has
won every game the rookie blueliner has recorded a point in this season.

Goaltender: Jack Coleman, Chicago Cougars

Coleman got the nod in net for two of Chicago’s weekend matchups and backstopped the
Cougars to victory in both. The ‘02 La Crosse, Wisc., native saved 19 of 20 shots faced
against Decatur on Monday in addition to stopping 43 of 45 in Friday’s 4-2 win at Battle
Creek. His weekend figures of a 1.5 GAA and .954 save percentage have the second-year
Cougars and his teammates in good stead as the playoffs quickly approach.

Great Lakes Division

Summaries by Lexi Obrycki

Forward: Alex Bedenko, Metro Jets

Bedenko put up three goals and three assists over the Jets last two games, both being victories for Metro against the Columbus Mavericks. The Jets forward is currently
averaging almost a point and a half per game. The ’03 from Macomb, Mich., has 17 points in 13 games this season and 54 points in 53 games as a Jet.

Defense: Justin Lang, Toledo Cherokee

A great weekend for rookie defensemen Justin Lang. In Toledo’s three games over the weekend, Lang had four goals and three assists. He currently is averaging about a point per game. Not only does he excel in his defensive abilities, but he is also helping the Cherokee on offense this season with his 20 assists.

Goalie: Freddy Soderberg, Metro Jets

For the second time this month, goalie Freddy Soderberg is Great Lakes Goaltender of the Week. Soderberg is a definite game changer when in net for the Jets. Currently having 8 wins on the season he’s someone that Metro can trust having between the pipes. Over the weekend, he added another win under his belt in Metro’s 4-1 win over the Columbus Mavericks, stopping 25 shots.

Midwest West Division

Summaries by Jim DenHollander

Tommy Babb, Minnesota Blue Ox

The Ox shook off a nine-game losing streak with a 6-2 win on home ice against the Steele County Blades Saturday and Babb (’04/Andover, Minn.) played a big part in that, scoring twice and setting up three others for a five-point night. The team also dropped games againt the front-running Minnesota Moose and Hudson Havoc on the weekend, but Babb and the Blue Ox are no doubt rejuvenated and ready for a playoff push through the final month of the regular season.

Defense: Jackson Taylor, Hudson Havoc

As a defenseman on the best defensive team in the division,the bar is set high and Taylor (’02/Shawnee, Kan.) did his part this past weekend, not only helping the team to three wins, two via shutout, but also on the scoresheet as he collected assists in all three games. Taylor started out with two assists in Isanti against the host Outlaws, then added another against the Dells Ducks on home ice and wrapped it up with two helpers against the Blue Ox on Sunday.

Goaltender: Ian Tumm, Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings

The Riverkings counted on some top notch goaltending to help build on its best stretch of hockey in a while with four wins in its past five games and a 2-1 weekend against some top teams. Tumm (’04/Carmel, N.Y.) went to the crease for the middle game in Elk River, Minn, stopping 46 of 48 to lead the Riverkings to a 5-2 win against the host Squatch.