USPHL Premier Players Of The Week: West Region

Games of Jan. 1-8, 2023

Northwest Division

(Summaries by Joshua Boyd)

Forward: Raine Hodge, Seattle Totems

A newcomer who just started with the Totems in December, Hodge (‘04/Hamilton, Ont.) has been among the most productive leaguewide since his arrival. Only a handful had a better point per game average since Dec. 1 than his 2.3 (23 points in 10 games). In the Totems’ pair of 5-3 wins against Rogue Valley, Hodge posted six goals and one assist for seven points. 

Defense: Cole Bisson, Vernal Oilers

Another player new to the Northwest Division, Bisson played his first two games this past weekend against Bellingham after coming over from a strong Charlotte Rush program. The ‘03 was born in Colchester, Vt., but spent most of his recent years in Utah. Against the Bellingham Blazers, Bisson’s first goal was a shorthanded tally and he also had an assist in each of the two wins – and all were his first points in 18 games this season between the Rush and Oilers. 

Goaltender: Kai Rivas, Bellingham Blazers

Rivas (‘05/Surrey, B.C.) not only received a nomination from his coach, but also from the Vernal Oilers GM, thanks to an outstanding 93-save weekend in the Blazers’ two games – both losses – to the powerhouse Vernal squad. Rivas stopped 42 of 46 in the first game, and 51 of 56 in Game 2 of the weekend, for a save percentage of .912 between the two days. 

Pacific Division 

(Summaries by Grace Mello)

Forward: Ivan Kedrov, Ontario Jr. Reign

It was a big weekend from Kedrov (‘05/Calgary, Alb.), as he helped the Jr. Reign earn three wins in the New Year. After picking up eight points (two goals, six assists) over the weekend, he currently is ranked No. 5 on the Jr. Reign with 29. Not only did he have his highest scoring game this season with six points; in that game he also picked up his third power play goal of the season.

Defense: Adam Layden, Ontario Jr. Reign

Layden (‘04/Calgary, Alb.) had quite the start to the New Year as he recorded his first goal of the season during the Jr. Reign’s successful weekend. After earning four points, with one goal and three assists, this defenseman now has 16 points this season.

Goaltender: Herman Renden, San Diego Sabers 

Renden (‘03/Norway) earned the first win for the Sabers in the New Year in a 7-1 victory over the Long Beach Shredders. He finished the game with 23 saves on 24 shots and currently has a .934 save percentage this season with 199 saves on 213 shots.

Mountain Division 

(Summaries by Brendan Price) 

Forward: George Goodwin, Idaho Falls Spud Kings

Pop quiz: Who leads the Mountain Division in goals since November 1st? That’d be Goodwin, who added another five tallies in three games last weekend and continued terrorizing Mountain Division goaltending. Goodwin had seven points (5-2-7) in three games, punctuated by game-winning goals on back-to-back nights. The ‘03 rookie is on a goal in four straight games and has lit up the scoring charts all season with 24 goals in 29 games this season.

Defense: Matteo Mitrovic, Idaho Falls Spud Kings

Pop quiz: Who leads the Mountain Division in assists since November 1st?

That’d be Mitrovic, who had a career high four-assist night in Saturday’s win over Provo, en route to a seven-point weekend (1-6-7) in Idaho Falls’ three games. The ‘03 Graz, Austria, product had two multi-point games over the weekend, running his total to nine on the season. With a staggering 22 assists in 28 games since joining the Spud Kings in early November, Mitrovic is now third amongst Mountain Division defenseman in scoring.

Goaltender: Ulrick Roussel, Northern Colorado Eagles

Roussel (‘02/Mont-Tremblant, Que.) has done many things in two years as an Eagle, but pitch a shutout against Pueblo was not one of them – cross that off the bucket list. He backstopped the Eagles to a 4-0 victory on Friday night with a 32-save shutout, his first of the season and fourth of his career. The win marked the first for Roussel in two months. Roussel’s .918 save percentage is a career-best as is his 2.73 GAA through 12 starts this season.