USPHL Premier Players Of The Week: Midwest Region

Week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5

Summaries By Lexi Obrycki, Miles Regan and Jim DenHollander

Great Lakes Division 

Forward: Jason Crossland; Toledo Cherokee

Crossland (‘02/Dearborn, Mich.) is leading the Cherokee in goals so far this season, his second in the USPHL Premier. Over the weekend, he helped Toledo with their win against Wooster getting a goal and two assists and also had another goal over the weekend in the matchup against the Jets.

Defense: Josh German, Metro Jets

German (‘02/Canton, Mich.) is a veteran player for the Jets who is in his fourth season with the team. He had two goals and an assist this weekend helping Metro win both of their games and stay undefeated. He was a +3 with 11 takeaways on the weekend. 

Goaltender: Freddy Soderberg, Metro Jets

This is Soderberg’s first year with the Metro Jets after previously playing for their MJDP squad. He currently has a 2-0 record. One of those wins came from the game over the weekend against the Toledo Cherokee, where he made 38 saves on 39 shots

Midwest East Division 

Forward: Johan Karjalainen, Chicago Crush

The Finnish-born ‘03 winger was phenomenal in his first weekend of North American hockey. He tallied two goals and one assist in his club’s first-ever victory, which came versus perennial division powerhouse (and crosstown rivals) the Chicago Cougars. Karjalainen was one of multiple players the Crush staff was quite high on coming into the season, and his offensive contributions are already showing us why.

Defense: Dalel Savarin, Fort Wayne Spacemen

Savarin, a 2004-born native of Kazakhstan, made his presence known in his first-ever USPHL game vs. the Chicago Crush. The ‘04 blueliner recorded a goal, two assists, and helped lead Fort Wayne to a season-opening W. He’ll look to improve upon his +5 rating this weekend against the Chicago Cougars.

Goaltender: Andrew Parmentier, MJDP

Parmentier (04/Chesterfield Township, Mich.) was perfect in his first USPHL game. The former De La Salle High Pilot stopped all 24 shots he faced versus Battle Creek last Friday, earning MJDP a 3-0 victory in their opener. The Jets and Kernels go again this Friday, meaning Parmentier will have a chance at his second-straight #ShutoutShoutout against shooters he’s already faced.

Midwest West Division 

Forward: Jake McAlpine, Minnesota Squatch 

There are many in the USPHL that would be thrilled to score 10 goals this season and ecstatic with 10 in a month. McAlpine (‘02/Mounds View, Minn.) continued his own torrid season opening pace with a 10-goal two-game weekend including a double hat trick and an assist on Sunday against the Steele County Blades. Get ready to hear more about this USPHL veteran who has racked up 13 goals through his team’s first four contests, helping the first-year Squatch to a 3-1 record.

Defenseman: Logan Lake, Minnesota Moose

The Moose captured wins in two of three games on the weekend due in part to the solid defensive play of Lake (‘02/Port Huron, Mich.). While notching his second and third assists of the season, Lake finished with a solid +4 rating and an amazing 27 takeaways as the Moose outscored its opponents by a 22-11 margin.

Goaltender: Lucas Brine, Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings

The Riverkings exited their first season of play as the lone team with a 1.000 winning percentage in the Midwest West. Lucas Brine delivered the win Saturday, stopping 45 shots, leading the way to a 3-2 win despite being outshot in the team’s home opener 47-33 by the Minnesota Moose. Those numbers helped him wrap up a .957 save percentage to start.