USPHL Premier Players of the Week: Midwest Region

Week of Jan. 22, 2025

Games played Jan. 14-21, 2025

Midwest

Forward: Jason Gongol, Chicago Crush

Gongol (’04/Carol Stream, Ill.) is on an outstanding 11-game points streak that he began on Dec. 6. This week, he averaged four points per game over three games, adding seven goals and five assists to his scorecard. The Chicago Crush rookie is at 41 points this season with 23 games played so far.

Defense: Charles Domaracki, Chicago Crush

Domaracki (’06/South Elgin, Ill.) posted five assists last week, bringing his season tally to nine. With four games played so far this season, the Chicago Crush blueliner has 17 career games under his belt over two Premier seasons. He has nine career points thus far.

Goaltender: Lukas Janicina, Chicago Crush

Janicina (’06/Bratislava, Slovakia) made 69 saves across two shutout wins last week, his fourth and fifth shutouts this season. He is 10-3-0-1 in his second Premier season, with a .922 save percentage. He has a career .910 save percentage and is 12-12-0-2.

Great Lakes

Forward: CJ Davidson, Red River Spartans

Davidson (’04/Zionsville, Ind.) averaged a stunning 3.5 points per game last week, adding two goals and five assists to his scorecard, bringing his season points tally to 41. In his second full Premier season, the Red River Spartans center has 63 career points across 70 career games played.

Defense: Tyler Hilliker, Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones

Hilliker (’04/Muskegon, Mich.) scored one goal and posted five assists over three games last week, bringing his season points tally to 23. In his third Premier season, the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones blueliner has played 117 career games, with 33 career points under his belt.

Goaltender: Lukas Kamenicky, Columbus Mavericks

Kamenicky (’06/Vrchlabí, Czechia) conceded only one goal in his win last week, garnering a .977 save percentage. He is 4-7-0-0 in his first Premier season, with a .894 save percentage.

North

Forward: Cyril Valach, Minnesota Mullets

Valach (’04/Moravske Budejovice, Czechia) scored three goals and posted five assists last week, achieving a milestone 50 season points. The Minnesota Mullets forward is playing in his second Premier season, with 83 career points across 45 games. His next stop is Foxboro, where he’ll be playing on the 2025 Midwest/Great Lakes/North Premier All-Star Team next week.

Defense: Jake Knieling, Dells Ducks

Knieling (’05) is on a four-game points streak, adding two goals and three assists to his name last week. He has 33 points this season, adding to his career tally of 61. In his second Premier season, the Dells Ducks blueliner has played 72 career games and is prepping for the 2025 All-Star Game with the Midwest/Great Lakes/North team next week.

Goaltender: Avery Smith, Minnesota Squatch

Smith (’05/Raleigh, N.C.) garnered a .983 save percentage last week, including a 27-save shutout win and conceding only one goal in his other game. In his second Premier season, Smith is 10-1-0-0. This was his first shutout performance.