USPHL Premier Players Of The Week: West Region

Games of Jan. 10-16, 2023

Mountain Division

(Summaries by Brendan Price) 

Forward: Wilder Jacober, Provo Predators

Only one team has defeated the Vernal Oilers at home this season and forward Wilder Jacober was a big part of that for Provo last weekend. Jacober (’03/Carbondale, Colo.) set a career-high with five points (1-4-5) in Friday’s 7-6 win and didn’t let down the following day. He chipped in two assists the following day and finished the weekend with seven points (1 6-7) in two games. Jacober has four multi-point games in his last seven and is now tied for third in team scoring with 24 points (10-14-24) in 37 games.

Defense: Luke Faas, Ogden Mustangs

Faas (’03/Eagle, Idaho) tied a career-high with a four-point night against Pueblo on Sunday to put an exclamation point on a strong weekend for the second-year ‘Stang. Faas grabbed six points (0-6-6) in three games to keep Ogden comfortably in second place in the Mountain Division. With the six-point weekend, Faas sets a new career high in points (41) in just 32 games this season.

Goaltender: Evan Stringer, Northern Colorado Eagles

Rookie goaltender Evan Stringer had his finest weekend in junior hockey in Idaho Falls, going 2-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA, .986 save percentage, and his second career shutout in Saturday’s 2-0 win. The ’05 Fort Collins, Colo., product has been the talk of the town with wins in four consecutive starts with two shutouts in that span. He’s second among rookie goaltenders in wins, goals allowed average, and save percentage.

Pacific Division 

Forward: Noak Persson, Fresno Monsters

Persson (‘03/Sollefteå, Sweden) continues to be a heavy hitter for the Monsters. He contributed to their New Year success with nine points, four goals and five assists. This included a hat trick to kick off the weekend in Fresno’s 8-4 win over Las Vegas. Persson is averaging 3.31 points per game for a total of 43 points in just 13 games with the Monsters.

Defense: Lucas Lundy, San Diego Sabers

Over the weekend, Lundy (‘02/Delta, B.C.) helped the Sabers earn a sweep over Bakersfield. He recorded five points with three goals and two assists, including the GWG in their 6-4 win. He finished the weekend as a +3 blocking four shots and is currently third in points for San Diego with 41.

Goaltender: Ethan Blackburn, San Diego Sabers

Playing in 20 games for the Sabers, Blackburn (‘02/Boulder, Colo.) has recorded 13 wins after adding two more this weekend. He finished the weekend with 98 saves on 103 shots, with 44 saves on 45 shots in their 6-1 win over Bakersfield and 54 saves on 58 shots in their 6-4 win. His current save percentage is .930.

Northwest Division

Forward: Roman Wolynec, Bellingham Blazers

The Blazers, coming off the holiday break following their first showcase action in Las Vegas in December, picked up a couple crucial wins over the Rogue Valley Royals, who are two points ahead of them in the quest for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Northwest. Wolynec scored two goals in Game 1 on Jan. 13, and then added a goal and three assists in Game 2 for six points in two contests. Overall, Wolynec – an ‘05 from nearby Langley, B.C. – now has 49 points in 31 games. He is tied with Rogue Valley’s Scott Vanderhoff for second-most points by an ‘05 after Elmira’s Nathan Garau (61).

Defense: John Urgo, Rock Springs Prospectors

Urgo (‘02/Chicago, Ill.) helped the Prospectors get three points out of a three-game weekend hosting the Seattle Totems. The third-year Premier veteran showed his leadership by posting a pair of assists, eight blocked shots and the most ice time by a Prospectors defenseman (73:55 over the weekend). With nine points in 35 games, the typically defensive defenseman has passed his points total of the last two years combined.

Goaltender: Brody Hsiao, Rock Springs Prospectors

Hsiao (‘02/Vancouver, B.C.) was in net for the Prospectors’ key victory over Seattle, stopping 42 of 45 shots. The Prospectors still have a chance to catch up to and potentially surpass the Totems in the quest for the No. 2 seed in the division. Hsiao was also in net to stop 58 of 61 on Dec. 16 when the Prospectors ended the Vernal Oilers’ 20-game winning streak.