USPHL Premier Players Of The Week: West Region

Games of Dec. 13-18

Note: There was only one game in the Pacific Division, which will be included in stats for next week’s Players Of The Week, which will include all games played in the USPHL Las Vegas Showcase and which will be released on Monday, Dec. 26.

Northwest

(Summaries by Joshua Boyd)

Forward: Jace Bodnar, Rock Springs Prospectors 

Bodnar registered a hat trick, accounting for three of his team’s four goals in their 7-4 loss to the Vernal Oilers two days before their trip to the USPHL Las Vegas Showcase. With 14 points this season, Bodnar (‘03/Regina, Sask.) has blown past the three points he picked up with the former Provo Riverblades last year. 

Defense: Kyle Russell, Vernal Oilers

Russell (‘02/Dallas, Texas) was his usual self, commanding the ice while on defense and also at times leading the offense. He put in three goals and added four assists for seven points in the Dec. 16-17 weekend series with the Prospectors. He leads all USPHL Premier defensemen with 49 points in 24 games. 

Goaltender: Brody Hsiao, Rock Springs Prospectors

Hsiao (‘02/Vancouver, B.C.) was the hero when the Prospectors gave the Oilers their first loss of the season, a 4-3 shootout win for Rock Springs. Hsiao stopped 58 of 61 shots in the showdown between the rivals. It was the first blemish of any kind on what had been a 19-0 start for the Oilers. After that game, he pulled to 4-4-0-1 on the season. 

Mountain Division 

(Summaries by Brendan Price) 

Forward: Dimitri Voyatzis, Ogden Mustangs

Voyatzis came up clutch to help the ‘Stangs earn all four possible points in two matchups with the Outliers last weekend. The Fountain Valley, Calif., product ran his point streak to five games courtesy of five points (2-3-5) in two games. After a two-point night on Friday, Voyatzis scored the GWG in Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Utah and has a career high in goals (19) and points (45) through his first 29 games.

Defense: Stephen Burdette, Utah Outliers

In his second season with the Outliers, Burdette has developed into an effective piece of the Outliers’ defensive corps on both sides of the puck. The Coppell, Texas, product made three his lucky number over the weekend. Burdette had three assists (0-3-3) and three shot blocks in nearly 40 minutes of ice time over two games. The defenseman already has career highs in assists (15) and points (16), thanks to a 12-point (1-11-12) in 14 game stretch to close out the year.

Goaltender: Owen Yancey, Ogden Mustangs

Like Voyatzis, Yancey came up clutch in both of his team’s wins last weekend. Yancey went 2-0-0 in two starts, improving his overall record to 13-2-1-1 and moving into a tie for third in wins among USPHL goalies on the season. The Boyertown, N.J. product capped off the weekend with his finest performance of the year, making a career-best 50 saves on 51 shots. Yancey finished the weekend with a .942 save percentage.