USPHL Premier Through The Numbers: South Region

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com 

Throughout the South, just before Thanksgiving we saw some upsets, some single-game showdowns and one team continuing to increase their inter-divisional wins record. We’ll break it all down for you right here in Through The Numbers. 

Records Indicate Games Played Between Nov. 15-23

Florida Division

Atlanta MadHatters (2-1-0-0) 

The MadHatters are already one win better against Tampa than in all of their meetings last year, in which Tampa led the season series by a 7-0-0-1 mark, the MadHatters winning a 4-3 shootout in their second-to-last game of the 2021-22 season. In this new season, the MadHatters are already 2-1 against the Juniors, falling 5-3 in their Nov. 18 opener, and then winning the next two days 2-1 and 5-2. 

• At 9-9-1-1, the MadHatters are .500 after 20 games for the first time since they were the Atlanta Jr. Kings in 2018-19 and they went 10-10-0–0 after their first 20. 
• November 2022 has been one of the MadHatters’ best months in a long time. They lost only once in regulation going 5-1-1-1 in their eight games on the month. 
• Goaltender Byron Bayer is turning his game around, going 2-0-1-0 through November after finding his feet over his first four junior games. He has stopped 98 of 105 shots this month for a .933 save percentage. 

The Road Ahead: The MadHatters go back home for a Dec. 2-4 three-game series against the Florida Jr. Blades. The Jr. Blades hold a 15-10-1-1 series record against the MadHatters since 2017-18. 

Florida Eels (1-0-0-0)

The Eels breathed a sigh of relief after their 6-0 win over the Florida Jr. Blades, as it was the first game out of their five in November in which they took all available points. Prior to that, going back to Nov. 5, they’d won a shootout and lost two in regulation to Atlanta, giving that team five points for the three-game series and the Eels came out with two. The Eels also took just one point away from their Nov. 13 6-5 shootout loss to Palm Beach. So, yes, getting a shutout victory was sweet relief for the Eels. 

• Duncan Rolleman was in net for his second shutout of the season and in his career. He remains one of nine goaltenders in the USPHL Premier to stand undefeated in regulation at 7-0-1-1. 
• Four-year veteran Eel Easton Moore played in his 100th career game on Nov. 17 against the Jr. Blades and registered one assist to extend his still active scoring streak to eight games (3-7-10 totals). Moore is eight points away from 100 for his career. 
• Third-year Eel Collin Patterson scored his 100th career point on Oct. 30 and added nine more points in November’s seven games. His 13-game scoring streak is the second-longest active streak, over which he has 9-9-18 in those 13 contests. 
• Third-year USPHL Premier veteran Jared Saminen had points in all five November games, going 3-2-5. On Nov. 7, he played in his 100th USPHL Premier regular season game. With 14 points in 16 games this year, he’s up to 63 points in 102 games in his career. 

The Road Ahead: The Eels come back from the break to face Tampa in a Friday/Sunday home-and-home series. The Eels are 2-1 this year against Tampa and 22-19-2-0 all-time against the Juniors. 

Palm Beach Typhoon (1-0-0-0) 

The Typhoon defeated the Florida Jr. Blades by a 4-1 score on Nov. 19, giving the Typhoon a fantastic month of November with a 3-2-0-0 record. It was the second time they had three wins in a month for the 2022-23 season, as they also went 3-3-0-0 in September. 

• In their last two games, the Typhoon have avenged earlier-season losses. In beating the Jr. Blades 4-1, they evened out the season series after a 5-4 OT loss to the Jr. Blades on Oct. 23. They also defeated the Florida Eels 6-5 in a shootout on Nov. 13. Just three weeks earlier, in the opener of the Florida Cup tournament, the Eels had defeated the Typhoon 8-4. 
• The Typhoon got their first win over the Eels in their ninth all-time meeting, with the Eels having gone 8-0 prior to their shoutout loss. 
• Defenseman Martins Leps has points in his last four games, going 1-3-4 over that stretch. Fellow blueliner Anton Egle has 2-1-3 in his last three games after being held scoreless in his first 10. 
• Veteran Vesse-Wincent Lampen continues his scoring streak, extending it to 12 games and producing 11 goals and 23 points – including seven in his last two games. Lampen now has 84 points in 56 career games. 

The Road Ahead: More Eels. They face the current Florida Division leader on Dec. 7 at home and Dec. 11 on the road. 

Southeast Division

Nashville Spartans (3-0) 

The Spartans had done very well in their first trip to New Jersey in October to face the Jersey Hitmen, and it went just as well for the Spartans when the Hitmen returned the favor and came to Music City. It was only the sweet sound of victory that the Spartans heard in their three-game set the weekend before Thanksgiving, winning 9-3, 6-0, 5-1. 

For just a first-year franchise, the Spartans are already enjoying a 6-0 all-time series lead against one opponent. They are also enjoying a 4-0 winning streak that they take into December, going back to a Nov. 13 OT win against Atlanta. 

• With their most recent wins, the Spartans pulled into fourth place, just one point above the fifth-place Carolina Jr. Hurricanes and Hampton Roads Whalers. Their 29 points off a 14-8-1-0 record would place them first in two other Premier Divisions and second place (alone or in a tie) in many others. 
• Garrett Parker has racked up eight of his 14 points in the four-game winning streak, including a goal streak of seven goals in that stretch. He posted a four-goal game on Nov. 18 against the Hitmen, setting a team record for most tallies in one game. 
• Longtime USPHL veteran Ronan Keenan has a four-game scoring streak going into December, with one goal and five assists for six points. His streak has put him over a 1.00 points per game average for the season at 25 through 23 games. 
• Leading scorer Niko Schoner had five goals and four assists in the Hitmen series to lead the team offensively yet again. He’s at 31 points in 16 games. 
• Veteran USPHL goalie D.J. Lyons has been in net for all four of their recent wins, including a 30-save shutout against the Hitmen on Nov. 19. It was his second shutout this season. 

The Road Ahead: The Spartans remain home as part of a 10-game home stand, with the Potomac Patriots coming to town. Nashville entered their USPHL existence against Potomac, with 4-0 and 4-2 losses to the Patriots on that Sept. 16-17 opening weekend. 

Potomac Patriots (2-0)

The Patriots ended their November with two very different games against the Hampton Roads Whalers, but both led to the same result – W’s for the Pats. The first was a decisive win in which the Pats crossed the double digit mark for goals. The second was a 3-2 shootout win for the visitors. Both were firsts on the season for Potomac. 

• The 10 goals scored on Nov. 19 tied the Patriots’ biggest single-game output, posting double digits for the first time since a 10-3 win over the former Daytona Racers on Dec. 15, 2017. 
• Incidentally, the last time the Patriots were in a shootout was against the Whalers on Jan. 29, 2022, when the Patriots lost 3-2. 
• Newcomer Matsvei Marshchanok enjoyed a four-goal game during the double digit win. He joined the Patriots for his first game on Nov. 12, and he has a 5-1-6 line. Twin brother Simon Marshchanok also has six points off a 3-3-6 line since joining Nov. 12.
• Vylodymyr Borodenko has posted an impressive 1-4-5 line in his last 5. 
• Second-year veteran Valerii Kneib continues to be a huge leader for the Patriots. He posted six assists over each of his last four games and remains the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer in the USPHL Premier (going back to its 2017 inception). He has 73 points in 61 career games and he is tied for first all-time in career assists with teammate Joshua Kingsbury. 

The Road Ahead: See above, as the Patriots meet up with the Nashville Spartans for the second time in their short history as division mates. 

Charlotte Rush (1-0) 

Due to ice conditions at the planned Carolina Cup Outdoor Game, the Premier match-up outdoors between Carolina and Charlotte planned for Nov. 18 was postponed. The teams did get their Saturday, Nov. 19, game in and made it count with a 5-1 Rush victory. 

With that, the Rush were able to enjoy their third straight win, and their third streak of at least three victories in a row – dominated of course by their 10-game winning streak to open the season (Sept. 9-Oct. 8). 

• The Rush’s three straight mid-November victories have them ranked third in the USPHL Premier in points (36) and seventh in winning percentage (.818). The Rush are also tied for third in wins. 
• The Rush and the league-leading Utah Outliers are tied for most wins when they get in the driver’s seat and lead after two periods. The Rush are 15-0-0-1 and the Outliers are 15-1-0-0. 
• Swiss import Livio Azevedo remains on a tear. He posted a 3-5-8 line over his final four November games and now stands with 40 points in 22 games, putting him in a tie for ninth for points league-wide.
• Bryce Battaglia, a later addition to the Rush in October, is also enjoying a four-game scoring run going back to Nov. 6, with 4-4-8 in that stretch. He has 12 points in his seven games with the Rush so far. 
• Second-year Premier veteran Hunter Berry is also on a very productive scoring streak. Thanks in part to a 2-3-5 game against Potomac on Nov. 13, he’s on a run of four goals and seven assists for 11 points his last four contests. He has 37 points in 22 games on the season. 

The Road Ahead: Talk about ramping back up – how about a trip to face the rival Richmond Generals for their first action in 15 days. The Rush lead the all-time series 24-9-1-3, but they only lead 6-4-0-2 the last couple seasons, including a mutual 2-2 mark so far in 2022-23. 

• Richmond stands between Utah and Charlotte in terms of the top points-earning teams this season, at 37, so this is really a No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup Premier-wide for the weekend. Richmond is also one win ahead of Charlotte (18 vs. 17), but the Rush are ahead in winning percentage (.818 vs. .804). Regardless, this is the clash of the Southeast Titans! 

In Other Action

The Hampton Roads Whalers remain idle from game action this weekend, while the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes take on the Columbia Infantry for their second home-and-home series against the new Infantry team this season. The Jr. Canes won both of their previous meetings 6-4 and 5-4 in regulation over the Oct. 21-22. 

Drop The Pucks!